Women Make Movies: Feminist Practices in Asia and Beyond

Catalog description

In systems of representation, from fine art to mainstream film and advertising, women have been constructed as “Woman”—“to-be-looked-at,” as critic Laura Mulvey famously stated—or rendered invisible through assumptions about race, class, and body image. What happens when female-identified artists, audiences, and theorists look back? This course introduces students to critical film and media analysis through a feminist lens. Focusing on the work of Asian women, we explore feminist film theory, beginning with Laura Mulvey’s 1970s analysis and extending through contributions that have enriched and challenged it. The first unit examines canonical feminist film theory texts on the gaze, representation, and feminist reading practices, paired with global films to assess their ongoing relevance. The second unit focuses on contemporary Asian women’s films that challenge norms, expanding our understanding of feminist film theory’s major themes and issues.