The following two reviews on the film "I am FEMEN" (showing today at 14:30 at the Capitole cinema in Nyon ) were written by two women who were born in different generations and on different continents. This timely film directed by Alain Margot, is about the Ukraine women's movement and was filmed between 2011 and 2013.
The first review is by Suzy Nelson-Pollard, a student who was born in 1991 and who grew up in various countries around the world. The second review is by Trish Thalman who was a young woman during the 60's in the San Francisco Area. These were "gritty days of protests on behalf of Civil Rights, Women's Rights, Vietnam War/US Government and were the make-up of the US ".
Both film reviewers were very impressed by the film which had its world premiere this week at Visions du Réel in Nyon. After the film was screened, the protagonists -the women in this protest movement, introduced themselves to the audience and the film received a standing ovation.
Both reviewers say this is a "must see" film. Book tickets online here. If you don't get the chance to see it today, it will be shown across Swiss cinemas in May. See short trailer of the film on Youtube here
First review by Suzy Nelson-Pollard
Photo above: Reviewer Suzy Nelson-Pollard at Visions du Réel 2014
You’ve probably heard of Femen, those girls that protest topless in the street, at public events, sporting matches, churches. You probably, like me before seeing this film, didn’t hold them in very high esteem. Isn’t going topless just another way of perpetuating the patriarchy, the ultra-sexualisation of women, or just a publicity stunt? What do they actually add to any debate? Yet, despite my reservations, I left the film considerably worked up by the bravery of these women, having understood that desperate times call for desperate measures.
The film follows the artist of the Femen girls, Oxana, who creates the iconic visual effects of the protests; the masks, flower crowns and body paint. One of the earliest protests of the group is shown in the first scene, after three men rape and burn alive a young girl, receiving impunity due to their fathers holding high office. The Femen women siege the top of a courthouse, trade-markedly topless, calling for justice. In this case they are successful, as the media attention that they attract puts pressure on the justice system and the men receive long prison sentences. In other cases they are less successful, such as during a trip to Belarus to protest against dictatorship. Carried off by the secret service, they disappear for several days and suffer mental and physical torture by being forced to strip off in the woods and bear swastika signs whilst being recorded. As each protest irritates the Ukrainian forces more, the more the women are bugged, recorded and followed, sometimes beaten, often threatened.
If the main criticism is their toplessness, the Femen women obviously have their reasoning. “We want our girls to be sexy, powerful women,” explains one of the founders of the organisation. The idea is not only to attract media attention, but also to play with the idea that sexy Ukrainian women are all prostitutes. The fact that you see this tall, long legged blonde being political, answering back (shouting, fighting and kicking back), putting feminism on the global media agenda, is confusing, especially when you are used to seeing her in the kitchen or in the bedroom. It’s also understandable that when the women point out that there are little to no women in the Ukrainian cabinet, without a shock tactic their voices are lost.
Some of the stunts that Femen pull are ingenious. In protesting against government corruption that led in one particular case to neglect and mistreatment of the animals of Kiev zoo (to enable the owner to kill off all the animals and sell the land for a premium price), they adorn animal masks, cover themselves in blood and throw animal carcasses from the top of the zoo gates. Now most of the founding members exiled from Ukraine, Femen are trying to start an international movement based in France. Attacking a variety of injustices, their efforts abroad feel a bit misguided at times. However the bravery of these women cannot be denied. Whether you agree with their methods or not, they have played a significant role in re-booting the debate on the meaning of modern feminism, and on contesting repression, dictatorship and corruption.
I came away from the film questioning every aspect of how gender affects my day-to-day life, re-evaluating every notion I had about feminism. “Je suis Femen” is a human portrait of the women behind the most controversial protest group of our time, it’s a social commentary on Ukrainian politics, and it is relevant to us all, women and men alike. After all, as Femen repeats, it’s not about a fight between women and men: patriarchy, dictatorship, corruption and repression hurts us all.
Second review by Trish Thalman
Photo above - Trish Thalman at a previous Visions du Réel Festival 'I Am FEMEN' is an important and time-worthy film about the Ukraine women's movement, which was filmed between 2011 and 2013 by Swiss filmmaker Alain Margot. The current crisis between Ukraine and Russia since the end of Feb. 2014 adds hard capital to this film. We are introduced, head-on, to a women's movement in Ukraine, that is obviously ahead of it's time, as is the film, although probably not knowing the impact it would make by April 2014. Women peacefully protesting, wearing traditional Ukrainian flowered and ribboned headpieces. They are bare-breasted, young, beautiful and have enhanced their beauty with make-up and stylish hair. They are the strong willed, activist, modern women of FEMEN. Heat and freezing cold weather, arrests, beatings, the indignity of being filmed naked, sacked-covered heads in dark forests with swastikas while in police custody, does not daunt their dedication and consummate belief that they can make a change. Since the early 2000's, the women have been continually enlarging their movement, while protesting peacefully, about the corruption of Local and Government officials in Ukraine, Russia and Belarus. Police intervention is standard operating procedure. They stand up, not just for women, though that is the subtext of the film, but for the women and men of Ukraine who have lived through some of the inadequate and divisive changes since the collapse of the Soviet Union. Ukraine Government Leadership is not making headway for it's people. I was particularly moved by the film from a personal point of view, as I was a young woman in my 20's during the 60's in the San Francisco Area. Those gritty days of protests on behalf of Civil Rights, Women's Rights, Vietnam War/US Government were the make-up of the US (not everywhere), and particularly in 'Leftie' San Francisco and Oakland, California. I smiled during the film recalling those days years ago, that the protesting, bare-breasted, American women had police blankets thrown over them and then quickly hustled away into the police vans. Not because they were protesting against whatever the protest was about, but because they were "topless"! Changes were made...it took time. The clever, beautiful, dedicated women leaders of FEMEN continue to make their protests and statements. They are now given asylum in France, Switzerland and Germany, as they are unable to remain in Ukraine without grave consequences to their lives. A bittersweet aspect of their struggles: freedom in countries that are not their own. Will they heard in their own country? FEMEN moves forward. Their story is very well told by Margot and the women. Changes will happen. As in the US in those days of protest, the people will be heard.