The Queen of Country Music

Miss Kitty Wells sings
'It wasn't God who made Honky Tonk Angels'

This song was written as a response to Hank Thompson's hit song, 'The Wild Side of Life', and the songs lyrical treatment of 'wayward' women. Miss Wells retorts with the line, "It's a shame all the blame is on us women." It was a hit! Miss Wells became the first female Country Music star. Her songs talked about female experience and inspired female listeners and Country singers alike.
I went to see Laura Cantrell last night whose new album is a tribute to Miss Wells. Here's a little interview with Miss Cantrell about her project:

A Bumper Blog Entry

Some people think...

On the 26th April, the legend Poly Styrene died
at the age of 53.
She was true punk rock and an inspiration
to many women and girls.

Sexism is brought to light again, but this time by our not-so-modern, Etonian Leader of the Coalition. Calm down, dear? CALM DOWN, DEAR?! The more these 'episodes', these 'light-hearted banters', come out to play the more debate is roused and the more transparent sexism becomes. Let's not calm down, let's rally against it.
Here's a good article.

WOMAN OF THE DAY: Tehmina Kazi.
Director of British Muslims for Secular Democracy, an organisation that aims to raise awareness of the benefits of democracy, Kazi challenges and combats Islamic extremism and Islamophobia. Here's an interesting article about Muslim women making change.
She writes for The Guardian too: http://www.guardian.co.uk/profile/tehmina-kazi

Karla Black has been nominated for the 2011 Turner Prize.

What to Ask for Others, 2009

The UK Film Council published a report stating that almost two-thirds of the older women interviewed felt under-represented in films. A report also found that half the population feel that black characters are too often portrayed as drug dealers, two in five say that there are no 'good guy' roles for black characters and two in three say that black characters are overly sexualised. Eastern Europeans are shown as ill-educated and poor; Asian characters experience family conflict; homosexual characters are continually shown as camp, with sexual orientation as their main trait. Films about the working class are seen as too depressing, the middle class too sweet.
Stories exist that show more complex characters and narratives, but the films aren't being made. It's time to start demanding more from our screens. Highlighting these stereotypes and disconnection from society (consumers of cinema) can hopefully start the change. It's a shame that the UK Film Council will cease to exist.

Who's afraid of Elizabeth Taylor?

1932-2011

More than the movies, more than the marriages.

"Elizabeth Taylor was the first great actress to fight on behalf of the AIDS movement and brought the illness from a taboo to a reality. She was the cause's leading advocate and became one of the world's most celebrated activists. She is leaving a great legacy for us all and a new challenge to fight AIDS for this new generation." -Richard Zaldivar, president of The Wall-Las Memorias Project in Los Angeles

100 Days

Today marks the 100th anniversary of International Women's Day.
This isn't to just celebrate women who have cracked glass or who are visible or who have made a difference to our lives individually, but to bring awareness to the situation of women across the world.
To those women you don't see or hear...

Women of the World, unite and take over!

11th - 13th March 2011
Southbank Centre, London

WOW – Women of the World – is a joyous celebration of the formidable strength and inventiveness of women – a pioneering, groundbreaking annual festival, which will present, recognise and celebrate women, and act as a conversation space for issues of all kinds.

If you can get there, it promises to be a great festival with speeches, performances, debates, and more, discussing issues facing women today. Highlights for me include: Bird's Eye View Sounds & Silents, Life Cycle with Mara Carlyle, and the conferences that take place over the three days. Look here for more information.

Jane Russell

1921-2011
Sassy

In memory of Trish Keenan

14 January 2011

A Pioneer of Abstract Animation

Synchromy No.2 (1936)

Mary Ellen Bute made 'visual music'. Between 1934 and 1953, she made fourteen short abstract, musical, animated films in collaboration with Joseph Schillinger and, later, with Ted Nemeth, who would become her husband. Many of these films were screened before a feature movie at Radio City Hall in New York. Bute was a founding member of the Women's Independent Film Exchange.
Bute died practically penniless in 1983, sacrificing all for her art.

A short documentary about Mary Ellen Bute

Miriam O'Reilly Wins!

Miriam O'Reilly, the 53-year-old ex-BBC presenter, today won an employment tribunal against the BBC on the grounds of ageism and sexism. O'Reilly was dropped for younger presenters on the show 'Country File' when it moved to the prime-time. As she rightly says, the outcome has, 'implications for all broadcasters, not just the BBC'.

Let's hope this means that older women will stop disappearing from our TV screens.

Vivian Maier, Discovered

Vivian Maier, Self Portrait

John Maloof bought a box of negatives and unprocessed rolls of film at an auction and what was inside was a document of Chicago's streets and World travels by an aloof French emigre. There are over 100,000 images that Maloof is currently processing, scanning and archiving. You can follow his blog here. Maier died in 2009, before Maloof could talk to her about her photography.

Thanks to Helen, Paul and Pina for finding this!