text:
Women Direct Films 2022
Director Jane Campion and cinematographer Ari Wegner on the set of
The Power of the Dog (Source: Netflix)
Last year on this day, March 8, I listed films directed by women in recent years. A month later, Chloe Zhao became the second woman in the 93 year history of the Oscars to win Best Director with Nomadland. And this year, in the upcoming 94th Academy Awards on March 27, two of the ten Best Picture nominees are directed by women, Jane Campion's The Power of the Dog and Sian Heder's CODA.
This may look bright and hopefully the trend will hold. After all, women first directed films in 1896! I wrote about that in my March 8 post last year. However, the latest data aren't that promising. According to the Celluloid Ceiling Report (Figure 2) published in January 2022, the percentage of women directors working on the top 100 films decreased from a record high of 16% in 2020 to 12% in 2021.
For this March 8, 2022, here's a new list of some upcoming movies directed by women. There are, needless to say, many more women working behind the scenes as film editors, script writers, cinematographers, production designers, sound professionals, costume and makeup artists, composers, casting directors, producers… all striving to break through the celluloid ceiling.
Aline directed by Valérie Lemercier, a fictionalized biopic of Céline Dion.
Where the Crawdads Sing directed by Olivia Newman, adaptation of the popular novel by Delia Owens.
Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, A Dream, A Song a documentary co-directed by Dayna Goldfine
She Said directed by Maria Schrader, based on the book that chronicles the fall of Harvey Weinstein and the rise of a movement. Carey Mulligan and Zoe Kazan star.
Barbie directed by Greta Gerwig, the cast that brings a doll to life includes Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, America Ferrera, Simu Liu.
Turning Red directed by Domee Shi, whose animated short Bao won her an Oscar in 2019. Sandra Oh, Billie Eilish and Finneas O'Connell lend their voice and talents.
Don't Worry Darling directed by Olivia Wilde, who has been called 'a modern-day renaissance woman'. Attractive cast includes Florence Pugh, Harry Styles, Chris Pine, Gemma Chan.
I Wanna Dance With Somebody directed by Kasi Lemmons, acclaimed director of Harriet (2019) turns her attention to depict the life of Whitney Houston.
The Stars at Noon directed by Claire Denis, who just won the Silver Berlin Bear for Best Director at Berlinale 2022. Adaptation of the 1986 novel by Denis Johnson.
Catherine, Called Birdy directed by Lena Dunham, based on the children's novel by Karen Cushman, on the adventures of a 14 year-old girl in medieval England.
The Mother directed by Niki Caro, who has helmed an interesting variety of works like Mulan (2020), The Zookeeper's Wife (2017), Whale Rider (2002). An action thriller, The Mother stars Jennifer Lopez and Joseph Fiennes.
Lady Chatterley's Lover directed by Laure de Clermont-Tonnerre, adaptation of D. H. Lawrence's classic novel.
Persuasion directed by Carrie Cracknell. Another Jane Austen classic to be transposed onto screen coming out this year.
Rosaline directed by Karen Maine. A comedic take on Romeo and Juliet from the POV of Rosaline Capulet, Juliet's cousin and Romeo's first love.
Posted on March 8, 2022 Categories Art, entertainment, films, moviesTags films, International Women's Day 2022, movies, women, Women Directors4 Comments on Women Direct Films 2022
When did women first direct films? If you type these words in your search engine, you'll see this year pop up: 1896 and the name Alice Guy-Blaché (1873-1968). In her filmmaking career that spanned over two decades, Alice Guy had written, directed, or produced more than a thousand films in France and later in America. She was a pioneer in fictional narratives, comedies, actions, travelogues, musicals (yes, films with sound), just to name a few categories of her cinematic works.
Be Natural: The Untold Story of Alice Guy-Blaché (2018), directed by Pamela Green and narrated by Jodie Foster is a fascinating documentary, a must-see, now streaming on the free platform Kanopy.com. "Be Natural" were signs Alice Guy put up in her studio for her actors as a reminder.
Cut to 2010. In the annual study The Celluloid Ceiling on women behind-the-scene employment in filmmaking, only 2% of the top 250 films made that year in the US were directed by women. In 2018, it was 4%. Then there was a big jump in 2019 to 12%. In 2020, due to the pandemic, the study included 100 top films instead of 250, the percentage of women directors increased to 16%.
2019 appears to have marked a tipping point, hopefully a trend that stays, as more women are being recognized as 'profitable' in the filmmaking business. Further, people also found out women can direct various genres, including action and superheroes movies too. Just wonder what Alice Guy would had thought if she were around.
On this day, March 8, 2021, in honor of the many woman directors working, I'm posting a list with their names first then their works released for the year back to 2019. This is only a selection and mainly for films distributed in North America. You might recognize some names or titles of books. In alphabetical order:
Ana Lily Amirpour – Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon
Clio Barnard – Ava & Ali
Camilla Belle – Phobias
Shari Springer Berman (co-director) – Things Heard and Seen
Halle Berry – Bruised
Kay Cannon – Cinderella
Nia DaCosta – Candyman
Livia De Paolis – The Lost Girls
Julie Delpy – My Zoe
Claire Denis – Fire
Augustine Frizzell – The Last Letter from your Lover
Maggie Gyllenhaal – The Lost Daughter
Rebecca Hall – Passing
Sian Heder – CODA
Joanna Hogg – The Souvenir: Part II
Eva Husson – Mothering Sunday
Lisa Joy – Reminiscence
Dea Kulumbegashvili – Beginning
Mélanie Laurent – The Nightingale
Lena Khan – Flora & Ulysses
Castille Landon – Fear of Rain
Mia Hansen-Løve – Bergman Island
Lila Neugebauer – Red, White and Water
Megan Park – The Fallout
Amy Poehler – Moxie
Céline Sciamma – Petite Maman
Cate Shortland – Black Widow
Liesl Tommy – Respect
Kate Tsang – Marvelous and the Black Hole
Lana Wachowski – The Matrix 4
Olivia Wilde – Don't Worry Darling
Robin Wright – Land
Robin Wright, Catherine Hardwicke – Together Now
Chloé Zhao – The Eternals
Niki Caro – Mulan
Sofia Coppola – On the Rocks
Autumn de Wilde – Emma
Josephine Decker – Shirley
Clea DuVall – Happiest Season
Mona Fastvold – The World to Come
Emerald Fennell – Promising Young Woman
Nisha Ganatra – The High Note
Liz Garbus – Lost Girls
Julia Hart – I'm Your Woman
Eliza Hittman – Never Rarely Sometimes Always
Patty Jenkins – Wonder Woman 1984
Natalie Erika James – Relic
Miranda July – Kajillionaire
Regina King – One Night in Miami
Roseanne Liang – Shadow in the Cloud
Phyllida Lloyd – Herself
April Mullen – Wander
Mira Nair – A Suitable Boy
Gina Prince-Bythewood – The Old Guard
Dee Rees – The Last Thing He Wanted
Adriana Trigiani – Then Came You
Cathy Yan – Birds of Prey
Jasmila Zbanic – Quo vadis, Aida?
Chloé Zhao – Nomadland
Elizabeth Banks – Charlie's Angels
Chinonye Chukwu – Clemency
Mati Diop – Atlantics
Lisa Barros D'Sa – Ordinary Love
Anna Boden (co-direct) – Captain Marvel
Gabriela Cowperthwaite – Our Friend
Nora Fingscheidt – System Crasher
Nisha Ganatra – Late Night
Sarah Gavron – Rocks
Greta Gerwig – Little Women
Rose Glass – Saint Maud
Kitty Green – The Assistant
Alma Har'el – Honey Boy
Marielle Heller – A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood
Kathleen Hepburn, Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers – The Body Remembers when the World Broke Open
Nahnatchka Khan – Always Be My Maybe
Jennifer Lee (co-director) – Frozen II
Kasi Lemmons – Harriet
Melina Matsoukas – Queen and Slim
Shannon Murphy – Babyteeth
Lydia Dean Pilcher – A Call to Spy
Kelly Reichardt – First Cow
Lorene Scafaria – Hustlers
Angela Schanelac – I was at Home, But…
Céline Sciamma – Portrait of a Lady on Fire
Lulu Wang – The Farewell
Olivia Wilde – Booksmart
Related Ripple Reviews:
Nisha Ganatra's Late Night
Greta Gerwig's Little Women
Kelly Reichardt's Certain Women
Lulu Wang's The Farewell
Posted on March 8, 2021 February 17, 2022 Categories entertainment, films, moviesTags Alice Guy-Blaché, Entertainment, films, International Women's Day, movies, women, Women Directors10 Comments on Women Direct Films
Ripples from the history-making 78th Golden Globes
Last night I dreamt I was interviewing Chloé Zhao. Not just a sit-down interview, but I actually hung out with her as buddies. That was a dream, and that much is true.
Before the dream, I was watching the 78th Golden Globes Awards show aired live last Sunday night. This year, it's a much scaled down, stripped to the minimal, virtual event. The show must go on, as they say. So, we have Amy Poehler from the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles and Tina Fey from the Rainbow Room in New York being pulled together on one screen as if they were standing side-by-side for the fourth time hosting. A technical marvel.
Nominees were at home or wherever they were at that moment, wearing whatever they felt like, watching and giving acceptance speech via their own small screen. A few of them were at the Beverley Hilton adorning glamorous, designer gowns, a reminder of previous Globe glitters and the red carpet.
Other than the unprecedented format, history was made last Sunday night.
Chloé Zhao became the second woman to win the Best Director Golden Globe award in the 78-year history of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association's annual extravaganza. She is also the first Asian woman to do so. What more, her film Nomadland won the top prize, Best Motion Picture – Drama. As a co-producer, she became the first woman producer of Asian descent to receive that accolade.
For a historical reference, Barbra Streisand was the first female to win a Best Director Golden Globe with Yentl in 1984. Taiwanese-American Ang Lee claimed that honor twice with Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon in 2001 and Brokeback Mountain in 2006, the only other Asian American to take that award.
If it's not due to Covid 19, never could there be a Best Director and Best Motion Picture winner accept the Golden Globe dressed in an olive color t-shirt, hair in pigtails. She probably might not be at home, maybe at work on location. But still, I remember the Cannes controversy where female stars were frowned upon––no they didn't outright say ban––for not wearing heels on the red carpet.
It's in this unassuming manner that Chloé (I'm sure she wouldn't mind me calling her by her first name) picked up her color-matching mug to toast everyone and gave her virtual acceptance speech. Quoting the 'guru' among the nomads, Bob Wells, she said:
"Compassion is the breakdown of all the barriers between us. A heart-to-heart bonding. Your pain is my pain. It's mingled and shared between us." She then went on to say, "this is why I fell in love with making movies and telling stories cause it gives us the chance to laugh and cry with each other, to learn from each other, to have more compassion for each other."
An iconoclast, no doubt. If not because of the pandemic, I can't imagine a female Globe winner in a t-shirt and I assume, no make-up, and speaks from her heart, not to shun the glitter of the gold but just to be her normal self of a human being, most likely here too, as an identification with the nomads in her film.
Accepting the Best Motion Picture – Drama award, she said about Nomadland:
"At its core, for me, it's a pilgrimage through grief and healing. So, for everyone who has gone through their difficult and beautiful journey at some point in their lives, this is for you. We don't say goodbye, we say see you down the road."
Maybe that image rippled in my mind as I went to sleep and conjured up that dream…
Well, see you down the road, Chloé. And hopefully then, not in a dream, but for real.
Related Ripple Posts:
Nomadland Book Review
The Rider is Poetry on Screen
Posted on March 2, 2021 March 4, 2021 Categories entertainment, film, films, moviesTags Awards Season, Chloé Zhao, films, Golden Globes, movies, Nomadland, women10 Comments on Ripples from the history-making 78th Golden Globes
Recent Movies and Series Directed by Women
Yesterday while driving I heard the stirring theme music of the movie The Piano (1993) played on CBC Radio 2. Memories flooded my mind. I recalled watching it in the movie theatre way back then. A deaf-mute unable to speak but can overwhelm others as she plays the piano to express herself.
I thought of Jane Campion, writer/director of the film, marvelled at her skills in conveying thoughts and emotions via the visual medium, and thought of other women directors who'd helmed many of my favourite films. I've had two previous posts on Women Directors here and here. Now taking stock mentally of the recent movies and series I've watched on Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Kanopy while home-staying, I notice several of them are created and/or directed by women.
Consider the following list with my capsule reviews an update of my previous Women Directors posts.
A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (Amazon Prime) – Directed by Marielle Heller
Director Heller and the screenwriters transport Mr. Roger's child-friendly, essential human wisdom to realistic, adult situations. The film isn't so much about Mr. Rogers but the real-life story of journalist Tom Junod's life-changing encounters with Fred Rogers for a magazine assignment. Tom Hanks is ideal as Mr. Rogers, and Matthew Rhys is effective in playing journalist Lloyd Vogel.
Who's Matthew Rhys, you might ask? I highly recommend you watch "The Americans" series. Or, if you're an Austen spinoffs fan, he's Mr. Darcy in the mini-series "Death Comes to Pemberley", adaptation of the novel by P. D. James. And, if you were around to watch the original Raymond Burr detective series on TV, the Wales-born actor is the new Perry Mason in our time.
Little Fires Everywhere (Amazon Prime) – Created and screenplay by Liz Tigelaar, Directors Lynn Shelton and Nzingha Stewart.
The 8-Episode mini-series is the screen adaptation of Asian American novelist Celeste Ng's second novel. My full book review can be found here. The thematic elements of race, motherhood, family secrets, clashes of generations and values are visualized and made more acute as Kerry Washington is cast as an African-American artist playing against Reese Witherspoon as Mrs. Richardson, the gatekeeper of the white upper-middle-class community of Shaker Heights, OH. The artist Mia Warren in Ng's novel isn't black, but turning her into one makes the conflict of the story more timely and pressing.
Four episodes are directed by Lynn Shelton who sadly died in May, 2020. Another female director Nzingha Stewart helmed two.
Never have I Ever (Netflix) – Created by Lang Fisher and Mindy Kaling. Directors Linda Mendoza and Anu Valia
Here's a recent trend that's encouraging. Movies and series are created to feature minority cultures in America. The talented Mindy Kaling, who wrote the screenplay and co-starred with Emma Thompson in Late Night (2019) plus many other credits, created this comedy series about high school girl Devi's experience growing up Indian-American, something Kaling knows full well. Many LOL situations and dialogues throughout the ten episodes. Kaling scouted Maitreyi Ramakrishnan in Mississauga, ON, Canada, to play Devi. A fresh look into the multi-cultural humanity that our North American population comprises. In recent years we talk a lot about representation. This is a humorous and realistic look into a vibrant sector.
The Half of It (Netflix) – Directed by Alice Wu
Here's another lens to look into our younger generation growing up bi-cultural. The full length feature directed by Chinese-American Alice Wu is this year's Tribeca Film Festival's Best Narrative Feature winner. A shy academic ace, Ellie Chu, earns her pocket money from writing essays for her fellow classmates. When one day, she's recruited by the school jock Paul Munsky to be a ghost writer of poetic love letters to a girl he tries to date, Ellie begins to feel a moral dilemma. The characterization and storyline make this feature a contemporary twist on Shakespeare's Twelfth Night. Humor is situational with some poignant scenes, making the film all the more enjoyable.
Unorthodox (Netflix) – Created by Anna Winger, Directed by Maria Schrader
Inspired by the memoir of Deborah Feldman, who broke away from her strict Hasidic Jewish community in Brooklyn, NY, and escaped to Berlin where she changed into a new persona and started a different life. I haven't read the memoir but I know the four-part mini-series take the liberty to re-imagine how she goes about changing her life while in Berlin. The series is captivating as viewers are introduced to the Hasidic, male-dominated and authoritarian community. Again, there are many cultural sectors in our society and through films we get to know a little bit more of how others live and the struggles they go through.
Ophelia (Netflix) – Directed by Claire McCarthy
Adaptation of the book by Lisa Klein, screenplay by Semi Chellas, Ophelia is a re-imagined story of what happened in the royal castle of Elsinore and in particular, Hamlet's sweetheart. Lots of liberty in tweaking and twisting but still interesting to watch, albeit a lightweight Hamlet compared to the original. Notable cast includes Naomi Watts as Gertrude, Clive Owen as Claudius. Hamlet is played by George MacKay before his titular role in the WWII movie 1917, and Ophelia is Star War's Rey Daisy Ridley.
Hamlet (Kanopy) – Film Direction by Margaret Williams, London Stage Direction by Sarah Frankcom
A filmed recording of the play performed in Royal Exchange, Manchester. This Hamlet is a fresh take with Maxine Peake as the emotionally devastated and revengeful Prince of Denmark. Only after watching that I Google search to find the first female to play Hamlet dates back to 1796 in London Drury Lane, then 1820 in New York. Several others had followed since. But this is my first time watching. Maxine Peake's performance almost instantly cast away all my preset feelings. She's high-octane energy; her voice, physical stage presence totally captivate, convincing yet delicate. She's herself and not an impersonator. Modern costume makes it more natural and, love her haircut. Peake makes me look at her not as a female taking up a male role, but a superb actor playing the 'Everest of roles'.
Posted on July 1, 2020 July 1, 2020 Categories Art, Books Into Films, entertainment, Film Adaptation, films, Movie Reviews, movies, UncategorizedTags Entertainment, movie reviews, movies, TV Series, women, Women Directors11 Comments on Recent Movies and Series Directed by Women
Women Directors of My Favorite Films
In 92 years of Oscar history, only five women have been nominated for Best Director:
Lina Wertmüller (Seven Beauties, 1976), Jane Campion (The Piano, 1993), Sofia Coppola (Lost in Translation, 2003), Kathryn Bigelow (The Hurt Locker, 2009) and Greta Gerwig (Lady Bird, 2017).
How many of them had won? One. Kathryn Bigelow in 2010.
Does that mean there aren't many women directors around? Definitely not. It just reveals how things are for these artists striving under the glass ceiling. The USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative research is a good frame of reference for annual facts and trend of women in the film industry. According to their newest study entitled "Inclusion in the Director's Chair: Analysis of director Gender & Race/Ethnicity Across 1,300 Top Films from 2007 to 2019" (Jan. 2020), female directors of top-grossing films reached a 13 year high in 2019: 10.6%, breaking an average of just 4.8% throughout the past 12 years. Maybe studios have begun to see women can be trusted to make profitable movies after all.
Yet, how many women are nominated for Best Director in the 2020 Academy Awards?
This is not a post of protest, nor of analysis, but of reminiscence. I've made a mental inventory of some of my favorite films, ones that have stirred some ripples in the Pond, and found many of them are directed by women. Their works might not have made it to the 'top-grossing' list… but, this just shows where my interests lie.
Agnès Varda in the director's chair. Photo Courtesy: TIFF19
Here they are in alphabetical order, with my favorite films bolded. Links are to my reviews:
Kathryn Bigelow – The Hurt Locker (2008, Best Picture Oscar, Best Director), Zero Dark Thirty (2012). Bigelow is the only female to have won an Oscar in Directing. She has shown that when a woman takes on a military movie, she can master the conflicts both external and within.
Jane Campion – The New Zealand director is one of the five women in Oscar history to be nominated for Directing. The Piano (1993) is visually stunning and bold in its depiction of the yearnings of the human heart. Campion is the first (and only, so far) woman to have won the prestigious Palm d'Or at Cannes with this film. Bright Star (2009) is a lyrical portrayal of English poet John Keats and his muse Fanny Brawne before his untimely death at 25. A beautiful tapestry weaving together the visual and the word.
Nora Ephron – I miss Nora Ephron. It seems with her passing in 2012, romantic comedies aren't the same anymore. Sleepless in Seattle (1993) and You've Got Mail (1998) will remain iconic from a period that still valued face-to-face meeting over the telephone or emails. And for some reasons, Meg Ryan seems to have gone out of sorts too. Hopefully she'll make a come-back like Renée Zellweger did with Judy (2019).
Sarah Gavron – Brick Lane (2007) prompted my interest in the British director with her focus on a Bangladeshi wife in London; Suffragette (2015) depicts women's personal struggles against a monumental period of British social history, but Rocks (2019) is the gripping, down-to-earth drama following a black teenage girl being left alone to fend for herself and take care of her little brother when their single mom deserts them, achingly real.
Greta Gerwig – Little Women (2019) is a production that I'd enjoyed far more than Lady Bird (2017) for which Gerwig got a Best Director Oscar nom in 2018. It's plain snubbing of her achievement in this year's Academy Awards where the slate of Directing nominees are all males. Recognized at the Oscars or not, Gerwig's Little Women will remain a definitive and worthy contemporary adaptation of Louisa May Alcott's classic.
Mia Hansen-Løve – In Things to Come (2016), the French actor-turned-director Hansen-Løve presents a woman at the crossroads of life. Isabelle Huppert plays a philosophy professor whose husband leaves her for a younger woman, while her elderly mother with dementia needs her constant care, her publisher finds her text book no more relevant, and her two children have grown and lead lives of their own. What are the things to come for her?
Mira Nair – The Namesake (2006) is the movie adaptation of the Pulitzer-winning author Jhumpa Lahiri's first novel. A delightful and humane look at the generation gap within an immigrant family from India, and the clash the son has to face being caught between his present American life and his cultural roots.
Sarah Polley – Polley adapts Canadian Nobel Laureate Alice Munro's short story for the film Away from Her (2006). At age 27, the Canadian actor-turned-director wrote the screenplay of an elderly couple facing separation as the Alzheimer stricken wife has to move away to live in a care home. Polley's directorial debut sent veteran British star Julie Christie to the Academy Awards as a Best Actress nominee, and Polley herself for Best Adapted Screenplay.
Dee Rees – Mudbound (2007) is the adaptation of Hillary Jordan's novel set in the American South at the end of WWII. Two military men, one white, Jamie, and one black, Ronsel, came back from Europe's war zone to their home in Mississippi, each faces a different predicament. And for Ronsel, a decorated soldier who had fought under General Patton, home is a totally new battlefield.
Kelly Reichardt – Reichardt's styling is naturalistic, casual but nuanced. Certain Women (2016) is a triptych of three short stories by Maile Meloy. Against the vast landscape of Montana, lives can be very ordinary, but Reichardt shows there's no ordinary life. Similarly, Wendy and Lucy (2008) is a simple narrative about a young woman looking for work drifting through the Pacific Northwest with her dog Lucy. Reichardt has major stars in her cast who all look very comfortable being anonymous.
Lone Scherfig – Scherfig's forte is her pleasant styling even when depicting a troubling story. Their Finest (2016) is England in her darkest hour during the Blitz in WWII but with the mood of a romantic comedy. And in 2009, Scherfig tells the story of an innocent teenage girl and her parents being duped by a man in An Education (2009). Carey Mulligan in her breakout role, landing her with a BAFTA win and an Oscar nom for Best Actress.
Agnès Varda – In her last film shortly before her death in 2019, Varda by Agnès, the French New Wave icon stated three crucial concepts in her filmmaking: Inspiration (the why), Creation (the how), and Sharing. The soft-spoken but astute artist has left us with a treasure trove of works, albeit not readily accessible in N. America. I've been able to watch several, including my favorites Cleo from 5 to 7 (1962) and Faces Places (2017).
Lulu Wang – The premise of the Chinese American director's real-life family experience in The Farewell (2019) could be shocking to Western viewers, but that just shows the divides separating us who are framed by different cultures: to tell or not to tell an elderly family member of her terminal illness diagnosis. What Wang has ingeniously achieved in her film is to bridge the chasm separating the two sides with a human touch that transcends borders. Amazing feat.
Chloé Zhao – I hope this is a new trend, that is, let Asian Americans, or any underrepresented Americans of various cultural roots, to have the chance to showcase deserving works. The Rider (2018) is a poetic narrative of a contemporary cowboy–a rodeo bronco rider– recovering from debilitating head injury. Chinese American director Zhao is an unlikely person to tell the story; yet this is her vision after befriending the Sioux community in a South Dakota reservation.
Posted on March 7, 2020 Categories Art, entertainment, films, moviesTags Entertainment, films, International Women's Day, Lists, movies, women, Women Directors23 Comments on Women Directors of My Favorite Films
'Coco Before Chanel' directed by Anne Fontaine
According to the French Ministry of Culture department that produces and promotes French cinema, 27 percent of French movies were directed or co-directed by women in 2017 compared to 20.8 percent in 2008. (source article here) An improvement, but they are still not pleased with the disparity and working towards a more equal representation.
For comparison, in Hollywood, according to the annual USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative study (Jan. 2018), the figure is 4%, after examining 1,100 popular films. Now this result is found in the midst of the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements. For those interested to find out more, here's a comprehensive report from Annenberg (July, 2018) comparing many more aspects of the film industry.
I just find these stats alarming. This is not a post to present an analysis of the issue, that warrants a thesis, but these figures just need to be shared. For Paris in July this week, I've chosen a film that showcases a woman succeeding in a man's world, overcoming what looked to be insurmountable odds. Among its many accolades, I find this one notable: Best Movie About Women, given by the Women Film Critics Circle Awards (2009).
Another film from French director Anne Fontaine. Unlike Gemma Bovery in last week's movie, this is a real-life heroine.
Coco Before Chanel (2009)
I've appreciated filmmaker Fontaine not doing a whole life biopic on the fashion icon, but focuses on her early years. What was her background? How did she overcome life's obstacles to create a path for herself? The intermingling of fate and choice is one important theme Fontaine had touched on in this cinematic account.
Gabrielle Chanel's life is an extraordinary story, and Fontaine respects that. Before she became the world famous icon Coco Chanel, she was Gabrielle Chanel born on August 19, 1883, in Saumur, France.
The film opens with the camera following two young girls being driven to an orphanage. We soon find out they are sisters Gabrielle and Adrienne. What makes the scene sadder is that the driver of the horse-drawn cart in which the sisters are transported is their father. We never see his face. He doesn't turn to say goodbye. He never visits.
That's a short beginning. The next scene Fontaine shows us is fifteen years later in a cabaret where the sisters sing and dance. In there, Gabrielle (Audrey Tautou) meets Étienne Balsan (Benoît Poelvoorde), an older military man, paying passing interest in Coco, a name he's created for her. Fontaine is effective to show us what Coco is like within just a few minutes of the cabaret scene. She's a calm, self-assured woman, won't sell herself to appease the guests; as a consequence, she and her sisters are fired. Looks like they're happy to leave the place too.
They keep their day job as seamstresses but soon part as Adrienne is leaving with a man to live in Paris. Coco decides to go to Compiègne to look for Balsan. Balsan agrees to let her stay there in his country mansion temporarily but Coco has her resourcefulness to change Balsan's mind. She learns to ride a horse on her own in a day, and soon breaks into the social circle of Balsan's by distinguishing herself as a woman with style, talent and skills.
A raiser of race horses, Balsan's social milieu and the horse races where members of the fashionable class exhibit their haute attires inspire the ingenuity of Coco. She begins to design hats for the ladies, and establishes herself as a unique contrarian. She wears a simple straw hat, alters a vest, a white shirt and a tie from Balsan's closet to suit herself. Her style is "dresses without corsets, shoes with no heels, and hats with no feathers."
Among Balsan's business acquaintances is Boy Capel (Alessandro Nivola), a young Englishman. Coco's short, intimate relationship with him soon changes her outlook in love and life. After a sad incidence, Coco becomes more independent, confident with herself and her skills, and determined to move to Paris to open a hat boutique. With the financial help from Balsan, she begins that first step, and the rest is history.
Tautou has come a long way from her role as Amelie. She is suitably cast as Coco, reflecting the character of the self-made persona. The signature suits she tailors for herself exude elegance devoid of adornments; the simple hats she designs for herself well-match her cool subtlety. Fontaine captures Coco with meticulous care, from nuanced expressions to her confident posture. Of course, kudos goes to costume designer Catherine Leterrier who won, deservedly, a César Award for Best Costume Design and garnered an Oscar nom.
Composer Alexandre Desplat's score adds to the enjoyment. Not an epic of extraordinary stature, but like the hat Coco wears, the film is stylish without overstating, composed and effective.
Coco Before Chanel is on Netflix.
This is a review for Paris In July hosted by Tamara at Thyme for Tea.
Some Other Related Ripple Reviews of French Films:
Cleo from 5 to 7
I've Loved You So Long
Posted on July 22, 2019 July 22, 2019 Categories Art, entertainment, film, life, Movie Reviews, moviesTags Anne Fontaine, Audrey Tautou, Coco Before Chanel, Entertainment, French Films, movie reviews, women5 Comments on 'Coco Before Chanel' directed by Anne Fontaine
'Working Woman' is yet another voice of the #MeToo Movement
Israeli director Michal Aviad's "Working Woman" is a good reminder that even though the momentum of the #MeToo Movement might seem to have quieted down, there are still voices that need to be heard. Screened at international film festivals since last fall, the feature is now being released in selective theatres.
At the start of the movie, the roving camera follows Orna (Liron Ben-Shlush) as she walks briskly to a car her husband is waiting in. She has just come out of a job interview, exciting to be offered an opportunity to assist a real estate developer, Benny (Menashe Noy). There will be attractive financial rewards and career opportunities ahead.
As the husband parks the car on the road and we get to see the couple in their apartment in the next scene, a stationary camera captures all that is important, an establishing shot if you will. In one frame, we see the husband cooking, Orna clearing the table beside him, and not too far away but still within the frame, their children playing at a computer. We soon learn that the computer isn't working properly, the kids want a new one, and Orna telling them not until the fridge has been paid off. Husband and wife then go on to talk about this new job she really wants to take, he not too sure about the irregular working hours.
In less than five minutes from the opening, we see Orna's situation. A mother with young children to care for, a husband who is starting a new restaurant and a household that is cash-scrapped. Aviad's camera work and succinct dialogues prime us with expectations.
Orna starts working as a personal assistant to real estate developer Benny on his flagship project, a skyscraper apartment by the seaside. He needs someone to organize his meetings, see the project through to completion and sell the luxury units. Being Benny's protégé includes following him around, even waiting while he has a haircut. Orna has no experience in real estate but is a quick study; she has a knack for gaining trust from potential customers and the instinct for a fresh approach to getting things done.
A scene from WORKING WOMAN. A film by Michal Aviad. A Zeigeist Films release in association with Kino Lorber. Photo courtesy Zeigeist Films.
Benny finds the ideal assistant in Orna. He soon promotes her to sales manager, noting her resourcefulness and creative thinking. His project by the seaside is now in good hands. But reaching that position and gaining her boss's trust isn't as smooth as Orna had first thought; it is becoming obvious that Benny appreciates not just her work skills but eyes her as a woman.
It first starts with commenting about her hair and telling her what to wear, then a kiss, for which he apologies. Other kinds of harassment follow, much like juvenile pranks. But a trip to Paris escalates his advances into a sexual assault. Orna's pushback and outright 'no' means nothing to Benny. Aviad's camera captures the scene matter-of-factly. The realism is disturbing to watch, not that Benny is violent but that it is obvious that the act is not consensual, his brute force the only means to subdue her in gratifying himself.
After coming back home from Paris, Orna is a different person. She is traumatized naturally, but when her suspecting mother asks what happened in Paris, she replies, "I made a mistake."
That is a crucial statement. Such a mentality could well explain why she isn't forthright with her husband, fearing his speculation on her part in the event, or maybe fearing his avenging Benny, making the matter worse. But we as viewers are witnesses to the scene. The 'mistake' definitely is not hers to shoulder.
Aviad's storytelling is realistic and engrossing. Her handheld camera follows Orna like a shadow, the slightly roving movement accentuating the tension. Ben-Shlush's acting is sensitive and nuanced. The screenplay spare and succinct. The 93-minute narrative feature is an effective and clear voice in stating a case of sexual harassment in the workplace, a powerful boss getting his way and taking advantage of a subordinate who needs her job for financial reason.
Fortunately, Aviad leads us towards a positive ending. We get to see Orna rise up from her challenging situation as she gains new strength to open for herself a way out.
Exclusive engagement of "Working Woman" will be screened at Landmark Lagoon Theatre in Minneapolis St. Paul beginning Friday, May 10th, 2019. Hebrew with English subtitles, 93 mins.
Posted on May 10, 2019 May 10, 2019 Categories entertainment, film, films, Movie Reviews, movies, reviewsTags #MeToo Movement, Entertainment, films, movie reviews, movies, women, Working Woman5 Comments on 'Working Woman' is yet another voice of the #MeToo Movement
Jane Austen 200: Room or No Room, She Did It
Today is the Bicentenary of Jane Austen's death. On July 18, 1817, suffering excruciating pain, Jane died of her illness at age 41. As a tribute, I'm reposting my article on Virginia Woolf's A Room of One's Own.
A Room of One's Own is based on a series of lecture Woolf delivered at the two women's colleges in Cambridge University on the topic of "Women and Fiction". It was published in 1929.
Woolf lamented the disparities women in a patriarchal society had to face throughout history. The stream of consciousness flowed into torrents of incisive social observations and satirical commentaries.
She noted that women had long been deprived of equitable opportunities in education and employment. Men were rich, women were poor; men got to roam the country and travel the world, women had to be satisfied with the domestic. Men were great writers, poets, playwrights, women had to concede to find fulfillment in "making puddings and knitting stockings". Men had rooms to work, to rest, to create…women, the average, middle class women, seldom had a room of their own.
…to have a room of her own, let alone a quiet room or a sound-proof room, was out of the question, unless her parents were exceptionally rich or very noble, even up to the beginning of the nineteenth century.
And sadly, Woolf had to utter this statement:
Yet genius of a sort must have existed among women as it must have existed among the working classes.
Isn't it true, Jane spent her most prolific years writing in a very public room in Chawton House. In the midst of family activities, at a small and spartan desk, she revised Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility, wrote Mansfield Park, Emma, and Persuasion, and began Sanditon:
And isn't it true that only in movies do we see the idyllic desk against a clear window, with soft light diffusing in, gently illuminating a lady dressed in elegant regency gown, writing on expansive papers and stationary, contemplating in solitude:
Room or no room, recognized or not, something happened towards the end of the eighteenth century that, according to Virginia Woolf, deserved much more mention in history than the Crusades or the Wars of the Roses: The middle-class woman began to write.
Woolf pointed out that not only did Jane Austen lack a room of her own, having had to write her novels in the very public sitting-room, she had to hide her manuscripts or cover them with a piece of blotting-paper, as observed by her nephew James Edward Austen Leigh in his Memoir of Jane Austen.
Ironically, there lay the genius of Austen, and the few woman writers around her time such as Bronte and George Eliot. Woolf wrote:
…and we must accept the fact that all those good novels, Villette, Emma, Wuthering Heights, Middlemarch, were written by women without more experience of life than could enter the house of a respectable clergyman; written too in the common sitting-room of that respectable house and by women so poor that they could not afford to buy more than a few quires of paper at a time upon which to write.
Little did they know, it was in such a room that they were trained in the prerequisites of novel writing:
…all the literary training that a woman had in the early nineteenth century was training in the observation of character, in the analysis of emotion. Her sensibility had been educated for centuries by the influences of the common sitting-room. People's feelings were impressed on her; personal relations were always before her eyes. Therefore, when the middle-class woman took to writing, she naturally wrote novels…
Not only that, they wrote good novels. With reference to Jane Austen, Virginia Woolf concluded:
Here was a woman about the year 1800 writing without hate, without bitterness, without fear, without protest, without preaching. That was how Shakespeare wrote.
High praise indeed.
Previous Post on Jane Austen 200:
Jane Austen's Persuasion: A Bath Walking Tour
Posted on July 18, 2017 Categories Books, literature, reading, Writers, writingTags A Room of One's Own, Jane Austen, Jane Austen 200, Virginia Woolf, women, Writers7 Comments on Jane Austen 200: Room or No Room, She Did It
We Need To Talk About Kevin (2011)
On International Women's Day, we need to talk about mothers. Motherhood, the role that can bring so much joy, and so much grief. No grief can compare to that of seeing your child self-destruct, and in the process, destroying others.
To start with, the wandering, free-spirited Eva (Tilda Swinton) before motherhood reflects an unsettling soul. Seems like she accidentally trespasses into the territory that calls for extreme commitment when she gets pregnant. While other expectant mothers fully embrace their swollen bellies, Eva faces her pregnancy with apprehension and awkwardness. Once Kevin is born, she knows full well that it is an irreversible life-long occupation.
Kevin screams all day and night as a baby, is incommunicable as a toddler, foul-mouthed, menacing and hateful as a child. The first thing he does to his newborn younger sister while visiting her in the hospital is to splash water into her eyes. This act will be repeated when he becomes a teenager, but it won't be as harmless as water. Can't his parents see it coming? I must give credit to Tilda Swinton, who has given us an audacious and engaging performance as Eva, but one, I'm afraid, that may not appear quite as sensible as it should.
If you are not a tiger mom, but has a tiger son on your hands, what are you to do? Wouldn't you have sought professional help for your child, or counselling for yourself? Yes, we see Eva take Kevin to a doctor when he's a non-communicating toddler, but what about all the years hence, until at 16 when all hell breaks loose? Ezra Miller as teenaged Kevin is a persona of a most disturbed young man; unfortunately, his self-absorbed, relentless evil scheming renders his performance two-dimensional.
I have not read the book by Lionel Shriver. We Need to Talk About Kevin was the Orange Prize Winner of 2005, an award honoring women's writing. Shriver might well have depicted her characters and their inner turmoils with more depth, as a literary rendition can.
I knew of the plot in general before I stepped into the theatre. My expectation was that the film would be exploring the issues of parental responsibility and guilt from raising a wayward child despite all good intentions. I thought it would deal with the problem of evil, or the issue of nature and nurture, and the choices we can make in spite of our predicament.
But the film surprises me in that it has not delivered what could have been a study of any of the above issues. Maybe parental guilt, but still, not in depth. We only see the stunned look of Eva in every scene. Even before the tragic end, with overwhelming evidences of a terribly disturbed son, we hear little communication between Eva and her unsuspecting husband Franklin (John C. Reilly), who encourages Kevin's interest in archery. (ah-ha… big hint) Seems like director Lynne Ramsay's goal is just to shock and disturb with exaggerated visuals and sounds, or its lack of to create mood. The ubiquitous red, another obvious hint. It is effective as an absorbing, suspenseful thriller, relentless in its portrayal of evil, but for the purpose of…?
The film has been talked about much in the UK. And on both sides of the Atlantic, many critics have given it high acclaim; others have pointed to its Oscar snub. While I had high expectation before I saw it, I left with a void of disappointment, which, I'm afraid, has extinguished my interest to read the book. If you have read it, I'd love to hear you tell me otherwise.
But on this very day, let us give kudos to all mothers who, regardless of results, stay true to their role and love in spite of everything. This we can see in the final scene and the last shot, the embrace in prison, probably the most meaningful in the whole film.
~ ~ 1/2 Ripples
Posted on March 8, 2012 March 8, 2012 Categories Books, Books Into Films, entertainment, Film Adaptation, films, movies, parentingTags International Women's Day, lionel shriver, motherhood, mothers, Orange Prize, tilda swinton, we need to talk about kevin, women22 Comments on We Need To Talk About Kevin (2011)
History Made At The Oscars: Kathryn Bigelow Wins Best Director
The 82nd Annual Academy Awards has made history on several fronts.
Probably the most talked about is Kathryn Bigelow becoming the first woman to claim the Best Director Oscar. And lesser known is the fact that her film "The Hurt Locker" has also distinguished itself as the lowest grossing movie to win Best Picture. With $15 million spent on its production, "The Hurt Locker" has gained back $14.7 million in its domestic gross, and a total worldwide sale of $21 million, paltry compared to Avatar's $2.6 billion. Bravo to the Academy voters.
Another major breakthrough at Oscars 2010 is Geoffrey Fletcher winning Best Adapted Screenplay for his work "Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire." He is the first African American ever to win a screenwriting Oscar. Let me re-direct you to an inspiring post on Geoffrey Fletcher's win from the blog Screenwriting From Iowa.
The Celluloid Ceiling
Does Bigelow's win signify the turning of a new page for all female directors and woman workers in the film industry? Or is it just a one-time victory? Throughout Oscar history, there have only been three other women nominated for Best Director: Lina Wertmüller for "Seven Beauties" in 1976, Jane Campion for "The Piano" in 1993; and Sofia Coppola for "Lost in Translation" in 2003. None of them won. It has taken 82 Academy Awards to arrive at this point today.
The annual 'Celluloid Ceiling' report compiled by Dr. Martha Lauzen at the Center For the Study of Women in Television and Film at San Diego State University tracks women employed in the film industry over the years. Her 2009 study records the following findings:
Women comprised of 16% of all directors, executive producers, producers, writers, cinematographers, and editors working on the top 250 domestic grossing films. This represents a decline of 3% from 2001.
Women accounted for 7% of directors in 2009, a decrease of 2% from 2008, and no change since 1987.
As for behind-the-scenes employment of 2,838 individuals working on the top 250 domestic grossing films of 2009, women represented 2% of the cinematographers and 8% of writers.
Has Bigelow shattered the Celluloid Ceiling once and for all? The answer is yet to be seen. Considering the gender disparity in the film industry, it remains a long and arduous journey for aspiring woman filmmakers.
But I admire Kathryn Bigelow for one thing: she downplays the gender issue and pursues the universal role of 'director', shunning being called a 'female director'. When accepting her Award, she did not even mention the history-making significance of her win but rather acknowledged the troops at war.
Of course, she won on her own merits and not on account of her gender. So just let me help Barbra Streisand utter what is unsaid in her statement, the all important subtext:
"Well, the time has come … for us to recognize the excellent work of a director despite the fact that she is a woman."
Bigelow, a painter turned filmmaker, was first trained at the San Francisco Art Institute and later won a scholarship for the Independent Study Program at the Whitney Museum in New York, "which gave her the opportunity to study and produce conceptual art that was critiqued by the likes of Richard Serra and Susan Sontag." Later she re-directed her passion to film theory and criticism at Columbia University.
When asked about her movies not being "female", Bigelow, gives a thought-provoking answer from the point of view of an artist [1]:
But you don't get exasperated with this notion that your movies are not "female"?
No, because I respect it, and I understand it. The thing that's interesting is that I come from the art world, or that's where I was creatively, aesthetically, and intellectually formed and informed.
Certainly at the time I was there, there was never a discussion of gender per se. Like, this is a woman's sculpture or a man's sculpture. There was never this kind of bifurcation of particular talent. It was just looked at as the piece of work. The work had to speak for itself. And that's still how I look at any particular work.
I think of a person as a filmmaker, not a male or female filmmaker. Or I think of them as a painter, not a male or female painter. I don't view the world like that. Yes, we're informed by who we are, and perhaps we're even defined by that, but yet, the work has to speak for itself.
Hopefully the film industry can learn from the art world, such that we would never have to give a movie a gender, or stigmatize its filmmaker for being a woman. Then we can comfortably call them all artists.
[1] CLICK HERE to read the full interview by Willa Paskin on Slate Magazine "What Kathryn Bigelow learned from Rembrandt.
Posted on March 10, 2010 March 3, 2014 Categories Art, entertainment, film, films, movies, thoughtsTags Academy Awards, Gender, Kathryn Bigelow, Martha Lauzen, Oscars, Oscars 2010, The Hurt Locker, women8 Comments on History Made At The Oscars: Kathryn Bigelow Wins Best Director
The Hurt Locker (2008, DVD)
UPDATE March 7: The Hurt Locker has just won 6 Oscars including Best Picture and Best Director. CLICK HERE to read Oscar Results 2010.
UPDATE Feb. 21: The Hurt Locker just won Best Picture at the BAFTA Awards (British Academy of Film and Television Arts). Kathryn Bigelow became the first woman to win Best Director. "I would like to dedicate this to never abandoning the need to find a resolution for peace," she said in her acceptance speech. Mark Boal won Best Original Screenplay. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE ACCEPTANCE SPEECHES.
With The Hurt Locker, Kathryn Bigelow could well have shattered the stereotype of female filmmakers, if there even was an image established for them. But a good guess is that they have generally been misconstrued as merely producers of romances, tear jerkers, simply put, 'chick flicks'. A look at Bigelow's filmography shows a track record of action thrillers. But it's with The Hurt Locker, a captivating work about a bomb disposal team in Iraq, that she has garnered floods of accolade.
Professor Martha Lauzen of San Diego State University studies women in the movie industry over the years. She found that women represented only 9 per cent of Hollywood directors in 2008 – the same figure she had recorded in 1998. In this male-dominated circle, Bigelow is only the fourth woman ever in the 82-year history of the Oscars to be nominated Best Director. The other three were Lina Wertmuller (Pasqualino Settebellezze, 1975), Jane Campion (The Piano, 1993) and Sofia Coppola (Lost In Translation, 2003). None of them won.
Recently, Bigelow made history by being the first woman to win the Director's Guild Award with The Hurt Locker. According to past trend, winners of the DGA usually went on to win the Oscar, with a few exceptions. Bigelow could be making Oscar history as well comes March 7. But of course, she has tough competition from her ex James Cameron.
The Hurt Locker focuses on an Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team in Iraq in 2004. In this urban guerrilla war zone, the signature weapon is the Improvised Explosive Device (IED), or, roadside bomb. What stands out in this film is the intense psychological tension captured by the camera, the excellent editing, and the poignant performance of the three specialists in the EOD team. The nuanced playing out of their opposing psyche and the dynamics of their interactions are what fuel the riveting momentum.
Into this three-men EOD team the story zooms in on one character, Sgt. Will James (Jeremy Renner), bomb specialist, reckless maverick whose hubris and adrenalin cravings propel his dubiously heroic acts. The quote at the beginning gives a hint of what is to come: "… war is a drug." Unlike other typical reactions to war, James embraces it. The whole movie is a character study exploring such a psychological make-up. And we are held on the edge of our seats as we follow the Dirty Harry of Baghdad clearing IED's on the streets.
But the script excels in presenting a multi-layered character. As the story progresses, we see a softer side to the tough bomb expert, and yet, all revealing is movingly restrained. Renner's performance is magically convincing. He has me on his side as soon as he appears on screen.
Using relatively unknown actors, the film poignantly portrays the vulnerability of Everyman in the war zone. But they can't be unknown anymore after this. Jeremy Renner (Sgt. Will James), Anthony Mackie (Sgt. Sanborn), and Brian Geraghty (Spc. Owen Eldridge) have left their impressive marks here. Pitching in, albeit for only short moments, are some more well-known actors, Ralph Fiennes, Guy Pearce and David Morse.
Impressively shot like a documentary, its every scene intense, drawing the viewer in like a participant, an onlooker. Great camera works, excellent editing, breath-taking pacing, and thoroughly human.
Unlike other war movies, there are few bloody scenes, no gratuitous war mongering or protesting. Bigelow in the special feature mentions that the film takes an apolitical, non-partisan stance. Such a neutral, matter-of-fact depiction, focusing on the micro-level of three men handling the most dangerous job in the world, is no less powerful in conveying the danger, the sacrifice, and the courage needed to go through every single day in Iraq. The film stands out among other war movies in its sensitive and sometimes even eloquent treatment of the raw emotions and the dynamics of personalities caught in a hurt locker.
The term 'hurt locker' refers to a situation of extreme pain and hardship. The production itself could well illustrate the point. Filmed on location in Jordan, cast and crew had to endure long hours in searing heat of 115 degrees, had to make do with scarce resources, and improvise in tough circumstances. It had been suggested that "no woman over 40 could possibly have the stamina to direct a feature film." Overcoming such a sexist view is the challenge every woman director has to face. Bigelow has proven herself to be admirably competent, crafting and delivering a superb production with an all male cast, (except a short appearance by Evangeline Lilly), in a land far from home.
The Hurt Locker ties with Avatar with 9 Oscar noms, including Best Picture and Best Director, but it gets nods in two categories that Avatar doesn't, Best Actor and Best Writing, Screenplay written directly for the screen.
Jeremy Renner receives a Best Actor nod for his engrossing performance as Staff Sgt. William James. A fusion of James McAvoy and Russell Crowe, Renner has proven himself to be a worthy contender in the Oscar race.
Mark Boal gets an Oscar nom for his very first screenplay. This in itself is impressive, and a pointer to what makes a good piece of writing: write what you know. His personal 2004 experience in Baghdad as an embedded journalist with a bomb squad is what makes the story, characters, and every single detail so real and poignant.
The DVD has some fascinating Special Features capturing the Behind The Scene moments, a Gallery, and commentaries from Bigelow and Boal. Those who want to see the film before the Awards show will have to opt for the DVD. As a smaller, indie production, The Hurt Locker had only a short release in selective theatres. Hopefully after March 7, it might get a chance to be put on the big screen again. So, now you know who I root for comes Oscar night.
~ ~ ~ ½ Ripples
Click here for an insightful panel discussion on the movie, Spoiler Warning though, from Canada's National Post.
Posted on February 17, 2010 January 11, 2013 Categories entertainment, film, films, movies, reviewsTags directors, DVD, Jeremy Renner, Kathryn Bigelow, Mark Boal, Oscar Nominations, Oscars, The Hurt Locker, women10 Comments on The Hurt Locker (2008, DVD)
Books and the Gender Issue
My review of Girl With A Pearl Earring has recently been linked to a book list. While I appreciate the link, I must admit it has stirred up in me some unintended ripples. It's the title of the list: '101 Books Every Woman Should Read'.
Now I'm always wary about books that are labeled and geared towards one gender. Like recently I came across a book entitled 100 Places in Italy Every Woman Should Go… makes you wonder what exactly they're luring you into. Imagine a book called 100 Places Every Man Should Go…
Anyway, back to the list of books every woman should read. The range is eclectic with the titles neatly categorized.
Just let me list a sample from each of the categories:
The Classics: Frankenstein by Mary Shelly, The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand, Howards End by E. M. Forster, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte, Middlemarch by George Eliot, Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf…
Children's Literature: Pippi Longstockings by Astrid Lindgren, The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum, Charlotte's Web by E. B. White, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll…
Books into Movies: The English Patient by Michael Ondaatje, Beloved by Toni Morrison, Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden, Out of Africa by Isak Dinesen…
Books Featuring Familial Relationships: The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan, The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingslover, The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy, Away by Jane Urquhart…
Books Celebrating the Strength of Women: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath, The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorn, Babette's Feast by Isak Dinesen…
Current Literature: Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri, The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery, Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen…
Books about Finding Oneself: Bee Season by Myla Goldberg, The Heart is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers…
Stories of Real Women: I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou, Amelia: A Life of the Aviation Legend by Donald M. Goldstein and Katherine V. Dillon, Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank, The Story of My Life by Helen Keller, Portrait of an Artist: A Biography of Georgia O'Keeffe by Laurie Lisle…
Banned or Challenged Books: Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman, Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, Of Mice and Men by John Steinback, The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini.
Non-Fiction: Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard, Silent Spring by Rachel Carson, Gorillas in the Mist by Dian Fossey, On Death and Dying by Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, A Room of One's Own by Virginia Woolf…
You get my point. Sounds like any typical high school and college reading list, but why specify women?
Yes, they're mostly written by women authors, and many with strong female protagonists. They depict the journey of self-discovery, of overcoming odds, of seeking meaningful relationships and ideals in a hostile world. In the non-fiction section there are influential books that have achieved significance in the area of writing, psychology, environmentalism, social justice.
But my query is: If these books depict the inner journey of women, or portray the poignant reality of their struggles, if they have shed any light on the human race in terms of equality, justice, or existential meaning, are these not all the more reasons for men, or anyone, to read them?
Of course, for the sake of argument, one could point out that the statement "books every woman should read" doesn't preclude that men should not. But that's just being contentious.
Books for women, books for men, why can't books be just books? Maybe it has to do with the writing of books, or, step back further, society's view on male and female authors.
Posting on the Guardian blog, writer and editor Harriet Evans vehemently declares that:
"I'm fed up with seeing some of our best novelists written off as 'chick lit' — you don't see the same belittling line taken with male writers…
It winds me up that books about young women are seen as frivolous and silly, while books about young men's lives that cover the same topics, are reviewed and debated, seen as valid and interesting contributions to the current social and media scene.
And regarding the reading public, it has been noted that women read more than men, both in the U.S. and the U.K. With that in mind, Evans goes on to state that:
The truth is, women happily read books (and watch films and TV) aimed primarily at men…. They read thrillers, travel books, biographies – and yet the majority of these books are marketed for men… But men rarely try women's fiction, because they've been conditioned to think they can't pick up a book with a pink cover."
Indeed, worthy literature written by women authors are sometimes reduced to 'romance' or 'chick lit'. Jane Austen is a prime example. Her incisive social satires, eloquent writing and sense of humor have often been swept aside while the romantic union of the protagonists at the end is given the main focus. In this way, her work is conveniently labeled as 'chick lit', dreaded by male readers, until some brave souls dare to take up the challenge and are floored by her relevance and intelligence.
Virginia Woolf sharply observes in her Cambridge lecture series compiled in A Room Of One's Own that historically, social norm has always been one that coops up women in the domestic while offering men the world.
Taking her view further, I can understand why the dichotomy, however arbitrary, in male and female writing, their difference in subject matters, subsequently, books for men and books for women.
I have a feeling that if the protagonist of The Catcher In The Rye is called Helen Caulfield, the book could well be dismissed as another trivial version of teen angst, schoolgirl blues, fussing over boys and growing up. And likely we won't see it on any reading list.
Posted on November 19, 2009 November 19, 2009 Categories Books, Jane Austen, literature, reading, writingTags book lists, Virginia Woolf, women, Women writers7 Comments on Books and the Gender Issue


Bláa lóninu er boðið uppá fjölda spa meðferða, nudd, gufuböð, veitingastaður o.fl. Kynnið ykku einnig Blue lagoon húðvörurnar og lækningalind Bláa lónsins.
Specialises in the production and marketing of fish meals and oils. It is the largest exporter of fishmeal and oil from Iceland.


text:
class Jmaxml::Renderer::Volcano < Jmaxml::Renderer::Main
  include Jmaxml::Helper::Volcano

  def jmaxml_type
    :volcano
  end
end

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


As the Winter Season approaches the halfway point, the Roselle Catholic teams are continuing to keep the fire going. As we start to look at the upcoming Union County Tournaments for each sport, the teams have their eyes set on making some moves.
The RC keglers have been rolling along, picking up a pair of wins over Hillside, and a big victory over St. Mary's. The team has been led by the solid play of Juniors Terrell Dukes and Brian Gutierrez. In their most recent win over Hillside, the team needed a big final frame, and got it to capture a 3 point win in the 3rd set to win the overall game. The team is ready to get the Union County Tournament underway next Monday, January 28 at Jersey Lanes.
The Lions Track program continues to stay the course, as the team has competed in the Union County Relays as well the NJSIAA State Relays recently. The team continues to make their mark, and are gearing up to compete in the upcoming Union County Championship meet on Saturday.
The RC Cheering squad has had a lot to cheer for with both basketball teams coming up with victories in big home games recently. The team looks sharp in their new uniforms, which they showed off at home when the Boys team faced American History this past week.
The Lady Lions basketball team took home a 2nd place finish in the annual RC Holiday Tournament, falling short of victory against the NJ.com #8 West Orange team. The team has played a tough schedule thus far, but has maintained a 6-5 record. The team has competed in some high profile events, including a big win for their opening day over King's Christian in the Hearts 2 Hands Invitational at RC, another victory over Curtis (NY) in the Coaches Choice Showcase at the College of Staten Island, and their most recent win in the Say Yes To Success invitational held in the Bronx over Pingree (Mass). Most notably, the team recently defeated local rival and perennial powerhouse Patrick School on Coach Hagan Court in the Lions Den. The team has been led by the outstanding play of Jenissa Encarnacion (14.6 ppg, 4.4 apg) and Taniya Hanner (13.9 ppg, 9.1 rbg). Hanner, who netted her 1000th point this past week at Westfield, is headed to UAlbany in the Fall. The team looks to move past Cranford on Tuesday and Oak Knoll on Saturday, both on the road.
The RC Boys Basketball team has had an amazing start to their season as well. Starting off 14-0, the team captured big national wins over Our Savior Lutheran (NY) on a buzzer beater putback by Kahlil Whitney in the Kyrie Irving Nike Invitational at the Barclays Center, and back to back victories over Eleanor Roosevelt (MD) and Salesianum (DE) in the Slam Dunk to the Beach in Delaware. The team headed to the Cancer Research Classic in West Virginia and defeated First Love Christian (PA) before defeating Archbishop Stepinac (last year's NY #1 team) in the Empire Invitational in the Bronx. Locally, the team has had big wins over strong teams including Trenton Catholic, East Orange, Linden, and American History all in the Lions Den, while defeating Montclair Immaculate, Patrick School and St. Marys on the road. The team is gearing up to head to Linden on January 22 before taking part in the final weekend of the 3 part Hearts 2 Hand Invitational with games vs Gill St. Bernards on Jan 25 (at Gill) and vs Camden on Jan 27 (at Kean). The team's dynamic duo of Kentucky bound Whitney along with future UNLV Runnin Rebel Josh Pierre-Louis have helped push the Lions throughout the season. Those two along with fellow senior Colby Rogers were all recently nominated for inclusion in this year's McDonald's All American game. Juniors Richie Greaves and Cliff Omoruyi have contributed greatly to the team's success, as well as the guard play of fellow junior Ahmad Robinson.


Do you know what that one word is?
Here's a clue: it's in this quote – Just because you are not there yet, doesn't mean you will never be.
Start using that word and watch your life change. You will feel more hopeful, and you will see more potential in yourself. I promise.
Also, yes I know my bra is on show the entire video. No, I wasn't going to refilm it. I film my content once, I don't prepare it and I'd rather it be authentic than look perfect in it.


text:
The default colors that are used on your MediaWiki site depend on the skin. You can make custom modifications and change the background colors of different areas of the site. You can do this for each of the installed skins by making changes to the CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) code of the skin. These CSS modifications can be made on the frontend of the site. They can be added to the page MediaWiki:Common.css (e.g. yourdomain.com/index.php/MediaWiki:Common.css) which affect all skins, provided the skins use the same code, or you can do this on the page of the particular skin (e.g. MediaWiki:Vector.css). For more general information on that check out the article on how to make CSS modifications in MediaWiki.
Note that for each skin the screen/page is divided into different containers and areas. Each one has its ID or class. These IDs are used to change the background color of that element. So, for example, you can have the content of the page with one background color and the navigation menu with a different one. In this article we'll show you how to change the background color of the different areas on the page for the default skins that come prepackaged with MediaWiki: Vector, MonoBook, Modern and Cologne Blue.
The principle is the same for other skins; you only have to use the correct IDs of the respective elements. You can make the changes for all pages on the site, for all the pages from a particular namespace(s), or for particular pages. The basic syntax for changing a background color is the following:
element-to-be-changed { background-color: #e6ffb4; }
The part element-to-be-changed has to replaced with the ID and/or class of the particular element for which you want to change the background color. Usually the hex value of a color is used in the code. In our example it's #e6ffb4. In the examples further down we'll use that same hex value. You can replace it with the value of whatever color you want. All the colors and their various shades have hex values. A useful place where you can select colors and their shades and check the respective hex values is the color picker page on w3schools.com, or on the web colors page in Wikipedia.
Note that in this article for the sake of convenience we'll make the distinction between a screen and a page. We'll refer to the page as the part covered by the content and title of the article of your MediaWiki site, excluding the top links and banners, the side menus and the footer. We'll use screen to refer to the whole area of the site (article, top elements, navigation menus, footer, etc.).
In this article you'll find the following sections:
change the background colors of all pages
change the background colors per namespace
change the background colors of particular pages
Change Background Colors for All Pages
We'll go over the default skins separately. Some of the IDs of the page elements are the same in some of the skins while others are different.
Vector Skin
#content { background-color: #e6ffb4; } - changes the background color of the content of articles/pages, including the title of the articles.
#bodyContent { background-color: #e6ffb4; } - changes the background color of the content of pages, without the title of the pages.
#firstHeading { background-color: #e6ffb4; } - changes the background color only of page titles.
#catlinks { background-color: #e6ffb4; } - changes the background color of the area in which are displayed the links to the categories to which the page belongs. If a page is assigned to categories, they are listed exactly under the content of the page in a rectangular container.
#mw-head-base { background-color: #e6ffb4; } - changes the background color at the top of the screen, the area above the page title. It doesn't affect the color of the page tabs (e.g. Discussion, Edit, etc.).
#mw-panel { background-color: #e6ffb4; } - changes the background color of the menus on the left side of the screen (the area where the links Recent changes, Random page, etc., and the Tools menu are located).
#p-logo { background-color: #e6ffb4; } - sets the background color of the area where the logo is located (the top left corner).
#p-navigation { background-color: #e6ffb4; } - this is for the background color of the Navigation menu in the left column. That's the menu with the links Main page, Recent changes, Random page, Help.
#p-tb { background-color: #e6ffb4; } - changes the background color of the Tools menu in the left column. Both the title of the menu and the links in it are affected.
#p-tb-label { background-color: #e6ffb4; } - changes the background color only of the title of the Tools menu on the left. The color of the actual menu is not changed.
#p-tb .body { background-color: #e6ffb4; } - changes the background color of the Tools menu but without changing the background color of the title of the menu.
#footer { background-color: #e6ffb4; } - this is for the background color of the footer of the site. This includes the area of the meta links (Privacy policy, Disclaimers, etc.), the information about the last modification of the page and how many times it has been accessed, and the icon "Powered by MediaWiki". All the space that's under the footer to the bottom of the screen is not affected.
body { background-color: #e6ffb4; } - in general the body is equal to the whole screen. However if you set a background color with it, it covers areas where there isn't any other element with specific background color set. In case of the Vector skin it affects the area under the page content and on the left of it.
MonoBook
#content { background-color: #e6ffb4; } - this ID is the same as for the Vector skin. It changes the background color of the content and title of pages.
#bodyContent { background-color: #e6ffb4; } - this is also the same as for the Vector skin. It sets the background color only of the content of pages without affecting the title.
#firstHeading { background-color: #e6ffb4; } - sets the background color only of page titles without affecting the content of pages.
#catlinks { background-color: #e6ffb4; } - changes the background color of the rectangular area where category links are located. It's situated under the page content (if the page belongs to any categories).
#p-logo { background-color: #e6ffb4; } - sets the background color of the area of the logo.
#p-navigation { background-color: #e6ffb4; } - this is for the background color of the title of the Navigation menu in the left column. It doesn't change the background color of the actual menu.
#p-navigation .pBody { background-color: #e6ffb4; } - changes the background color of the Navigation menu on the left without affecting the background color of the title of the menu.
#p-search { background-color: #e6ffb4; } - sets the background color of the title of the Search block in the left column.
#p-search .pBody { background-color: #e6ffb4; } - sets the background color of the Search block on the left without affecting its title.
#p-tb { background-color: #e6ffb4; } - changes the background color of the title of the Tools menu on the left.
#p-tb .pBody { background-color: #e6ffb4; } - sets the background color of the Tools menu in the left column without affecting the background color of the title of the menu.
#footer { background-color: #e6ffb4!important; } - changes the background color of the footer area with the meta links (e.g. Privacy policy), the information with the last modification and the icon "Powered by MediaWiki". The area is as wide as the screen and it's marked at the top and bottom with lines. The rest of the space below the page content is not affected by the #footer ID. Note that in the code you should also include the part !mportant after the color.
body { background-color: #e6ffb4; } - generally, the body is the whole visible area of the site, but in practice when it comes to the background color of the MonoBook skin in particular it affects the background color of the space at the bottom of the screen, below the page content. The strip with the footer links is not affected. It also changes the background color of part of the left column, from the bottom area up to the middle of the Navigation menu.
#globalWrapper { background-color: #e6ffb4; } - sets the background color of the top area above the page title, the left column with the menus and the space below the content of the page, down to the footer links (the area below the footer links is not affected). Note that in the left column it changes only the background color of the titles of the menus, not the actual menus themselves.
#column-content { background-color: #e6ffb4; } - changes the background color of the top area of the screen, above the page title, as well as part of the left column (down to the Tools menu, or in other words it goes down to the same level as the bottom of the page container).
#column-one { background-color: #e6ffb4; } - sets the background color of the top space of the screen, above the page title. It also changes the color of the left column without affecting the background color of the menus there (just of their titles), and also covers the bottom area down to the footer links. The background color of the area below the footer links is not changed.
#mw_content { background-color: #e6ffb4; } - sets the background color of the content of pages. If the page is assigned to categories, the area with the category links at the bottom of the content area is not affected.
#catlinks { background-color: #e6ffb4; } - changes the background color of the area with the category links. If the page belongs to categories, the links to them are at the bottom of the page content area.
#mw_portlets { background-color: #e6ffb4; } - changes the background color of the menus on the left (Navigation, Search, Tools) without changing the background color of the titles of the menus.
#p-navigation { background-color: #e6ffb4; } - changes the background color of the Navigation menu on the left. It doesn't change the background color of the title of the menu.
#p-navigation h3 { background-color: #e6ffb4; } - changes the background color of the title of the Navigation menu in the left column.
#p-search { background-color: #e6ffb4; } - sets the background color of the Search block in the left column without affecting the background color of the title of the block.
#p-search h3 { background-color: #e6ffb4; } - changes the background color only of the title of the Search block in the left column.
#p-tb { background-color: #e6ffb4; } - changes the background color of the Tools menu on the left without changing the background color of the title of the menu.
#p-tb h3 { background-color: #e6ffb4; } - sets the background color of the title of the Tools menu.
#p-cactions { background-color: #e6ffb4; } - changes the background color of the area where the page buttons (e.g. Edit, Discussion, etc.) are located. It's a rectangular area that starts form the Navigation menu on the left and goes to the end of the screen on the right.
#mw_header { background-color: #e6ffb4; } - sets the background color of the very top area of the screen where the page title is located (by default, it's dark blue).
body { background-color: #e6ffb4; } - changes the background color of the area where the page buttons (Edit, Discussion, etc.) are located, the rectangular area that's between the page content and the footer and the whole bottom area under the content of the page.
#footer { background-color: #e6ffb4; } - sets the background color of the area of the footer links; it goes through the whole width of the screen.
#article { background-color: #e6ffb4; } - changes the background color of the content of pages together with the page title.
#mw-content-text { background-color: #e6ffb4; } - changes the background color of the content of the page without the page title.
#firstHeading { background-color: #e6ffb4; } - sets the background color of the title of the page.
.tagline { background-color: #e6ffb4; } - changes the background color of the tagline under the page title. With the skin Cologne Blue under each page title there's a tagline that has the form From SiteName (SiteName is replaced with the actual name of your site).
#topbar { background-color: #e6ffb4; } - changes the background color of the strip at the top of the site where the links Privacy policy, About us and Disclaimers appear. If the page belongs to categories, the links to the categories are also shown in that area. It covers the whole width of the screen.
#catlinks { background-color: #e6ffb4; } - sets the background color of the area where the category links are situated (if the page belongs to any categories). Such category links with the Cologne Blue skin are in the top right corner, just below the site title banner and above the meta links (e.g. Privacy policy, Disclaimers). Note that the covered background area with this ID doesn't go through the whole width of the screen. On the left it reaches the left menu column.
#sitetitle { background-color: #e6ffb4; } - changes the background color of the area that's at the very top of the screen and that contains the site title and the links Main Page, About, Help, FAQ, Log in/out.
#quickbar { background-color: #e6ffb4; } - sets the background color of all the menus on the left. It covers a rectangular area that starts exactly at the top of the Find block and ends right after the last item in the Tools menu.
#p-search { background-color: #e6ffb4; } - changes the background color of the Find block on the left. It affects the background color of the title of the block and the actual block.
#p-search h3 { background-color: #e6ffb4; } - affects the background color only of the title of the Find block in the left column.
#p-navigation { background-color: #e6ffb4; } - changes the background color of the navigation menu on the left. The menu is labeled Browse and contains the links Main page, Recent changes, Random page, Help. The background color of the title of the menu and of the actual menu is changed.
#p-navigation h3 { background-color: #e6ffb4; } - sets the background color only of the title of the Browse menu in the left column.
#p-cactions { background-color: #e6ffb4; } - changes the background color of the Edit menu on the left (the menu contains links such as Edit, Delete, Move). Affects both the title and the actual menu.
#p-cactions h3 { background-color: #e6ffb4; } - this code affects only the title of the Edit menu on the left.
#p-pageoptions { background-color: #e6ffb4; } - changes the background color of the menu This Page on the left; this is the menu that contains the links Page, Discussion, History, Watch/Unwatch. The background color of the title of the menu and of the menu itself is changed.
#p-pageoptions h3 { background-color: #e6ffb4; } - sets the background color of the title of the menu This Page.
#p-personal { background-color: #e6ffb4; } - changes the background color of the menu My Pages on the left. That's the menu with the links Username (this stands for your actual username), Talk, Preferences, Watchlist, Contributions. It affects both the title of the menu and the menu itself.
#p-personal h3 { background-color: #e6ffb4; } - changes the background color of the title of the menu My Pages in the left column.
#p-tb { background-color: #e6ffb4; } - this is for the background color of the Tools menu in the left column. It affects the menu together with its title.
#p-tb h3 { background-color: #e6ffb4; } - changes the background color of the name of the Tools menu.
#footer { background-color: #e6ffb4; } - sets the background color of the area with the buttons located under the content of the page. These include all the buttons for managing the page (e.g. Edit this page, Discuss this page, etc.), the search function and the page info (e.g. for the last modification of the page). The covered area with the background color is about the same width as the container for the content of the page. The rest of the space that's under the footer buttons and links is not affected by this code.
#footer-navigation { background-color: #e6ffb4; } - this changes the background color only of the buttons and the search function that are under the page content. The page information (e.g. last modification) that's under these buttons is not included.
#footer-info { background-color: #e6ffb4; } - changes the background color only of the area in the footer where page information is displayed (e.g. last modification info, number of times the page has been accessed). The area with the footer buttons and links that are above this info is not affected by this code.
body { background-color: #e6ffb4; } - sets the background color of the whole screen. It doesn't cover only the top banner with the site title. Of course, if the background color for other areas on the screen has been specifically changed, they will not be affected. Note that with the Cologne Blue skin this code will change the background color on all pages except for the pages in the Main namespace (these are the main articles/content pages). To change the background of these pages you have to specifically set a background color for the Main namespace. We'll show you how to change the background color per namespace in the next section of this article.
Change Background Colors per Namespace
As you know the pages in MediaWiki are grouped into namespaces. For example, all the articles are in the Main namespace while their associated discussion pages are in the Talk namespace. Instead of changing the background color of the pages in all namespaces, if you want to, it's also possible to change the background colors of the pages only in a particular namespace(s).
Since we listed most of the IDs for the default skins in the previous section of this article here we'll only show you the code for changing the background colors per namespace. The code is the same for any element on the page and for any namespace. You only have to replace in the code the ID of the element with the one you want and the number of the namespace. And of course, you need to replace the value of the color with the one for the color that you want to set.
.ns-1 #content { background-color: #e6ffb4; }
will change the background color of the page element with ID #content (the content of pages) from the Talk namespace. In the example code the namespace is defined with .ns-1. To change the background color of the pages from a different namespace you only have to replace the ID number of the namespace. You can also change the ID of the element with the one which you want to be affected. For instance:
.ns-0 #firstHeading { background-color: #e6ffb4; }
will change the background color of the element with ID #firstHeading (it stands for the titles of pages), and this will affect the pages in the Main namespace (which has the ID number 0).
Each namespace has an ID number that you can use in the code. For a list of the default namespaces and their ID numbers check out the reference list of MediaWiki namespaces with ID numbers and constants in our knowledge base.
The syntax of the code is the same for all namespaces and IDs. An exception is if you want to change the background color of the body tag:
body.ns-0 { background-color: #e6ffb4; }
Change the Background Colors on Particular Pages
It's also possible to change the background colors only of particular pages.
The code has the following form:
body.page-User_talk_Admin #content { background-color: #e6ffb4; }
This will change the background color of the content of the page only on the talk page of the Admin user.
The code has the same syntax for any page. To change the color of a different page simply replace the title with the title of the particular page. In our example the title of the affected page is User_talk_Admin. And to change the background color of a different area change the ID. In our example the ID is #content and it affects the page content in the Vector skin. Of course, you should also replace the hex value of the color (e.g. #e6ffb4) with the color that you want.
You can find a list of different IDs for the various screen areas of the default skins that come prepackaged with MediaWiki in the first section of this article. An easy way to check the name of the page as you should put it in the code is to open the page and check it in its URL address. Don't forget that if the name consists of more than one word, they are separated with underscores.
Here are some other articles in our knowledge base related to CSS modifications:
How to enable and disable email authentication in MediaWiki
How to manage file uploads and images in MediaWiki
How to disable password resets in MediaWiki
How to prevent users from viewing pages in MediaWiki

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


By Vonda Finn. Cabinet Styles. Published at Sunday, July 01st, 2018 05:19:59 AM. There are various styles for a cabinet. However, what diversifies is the door of these cabinets. One popular method is the shaker cabinet. This style is attractive and straightforward featuring recessed panel doors, light finishes, and necessary hardware.
Semi-custom cabinet manufacturers pantry cabinets run from 9″ W in 3″ W intervals up to 36″ wide. Tall oven cabinets are usually 30″ W to 36″ W to fit most standard size single oven widths on the market.


text:
O órgão de Johnston é um aglomerado de células sensoriais encontradas no pedicelo (o segundo segmento) das antenas dos animais hexápodos da classe Insecta. A presença do órgão de Johnston é uma característica que separa a Classe Insecta dos outros hexápodos do grupo Entognatha. Este órgão detecta os movimentos do flagelo (terceiro segmento antenal). Morfologicamente é uma redoma de escolopídia em forma de tigela, em que cada uma contém um neurônio mecanossensorial. O número de escolopídios varia entre as diferentes espécies; por exemplo, em homópteros, os órgãos de Johnston contêm 25-79 escolopídios. O Órgão de Johnston foi assim eventualmente nomeado em homenagem ao médico Christopher Johnston que, em 1855, descreveu esta importante estrutura a partir de mosquitos.

Funcionamento do órgão de Johnston

Em moscas-da-fruta
Na mosca-da-fruta Drosophila melanogaster, o órgão de Johnston contém cerca de 480 neurônios sensoriais. Grupos distintos de neurônios são ativados por flexões das antenas causadas pela gravidade ou por vibrações sonoras e do ar. Estas respostas diferenciadas permitem com que estas moscas reajam de maneira específica a estímulos gravitacionais, mecânicos e acústicos. O órgão de Johnston das moscas das fruta pode tambem ser usado para detectar as frequências de vibrações do ar causadas pelo batimento das asas (o "canto") emitido pelo cortejamento de acasalamento de um parceiro sexual. O som emitido pelo ar possui dois componentes de energia: a mudança de pressão emanante da fonte do som e o deslocamento de ar resultante vibração de ida e volta das partículas que oscilam na direção do som. O elemento de deslocamento de ar sofre maior perda de energia com a distancia do que o componente de pressão, portanto sendo chamado de "som de campo próximo" e sendo detectável apenas dentro de um determinado comprimento da fonte. Em Drosophila, a arista das antenas e o terceiro segmento antenal atuam diretamente como receptores de som. As vibrações ocasionam na rotação do terceiro segmento, que assim canaliza a passagem do som para os mecanorreceptores do órgão de Johnston.

Em mariposas-beija-flor
O órgão de Johnston desempenha um papel fundamental na estabilidade do voo em mariposas família Sphingidae. Observações obtidas de mariposas pairando no ar durante o voo (de forma análoga a beija-flores) indicam que as antenas vibram com uma frequência correspondente (27 Hz) aos batimentos de asa. Durante o voo alternado, entretanto, as mudanças angulares da destas mariposas causam forças centrífugas, que se manifestam por vibração da antena de cerca do dobro da frequência do batimento das asas (i.e. ~ 60 Hz). Quando antenas sao forçadas a vibrar em uma determinada faixa de freqüências, a captacao de sinais resultantes dos neurônios associados aos órgãos de Johnston indicam que a resposta dos neurônios da escolopídia permanece fortemente acoplada na faixa de 50-70 Hz, o intervalo de vibrações previsto para efeitos de força centrífuga. Desta forma, o órgão de Johnston serve para detectar mudanças angulares durante manobras em pleno voo.

Nas abelhas
As abelhas (Apis mellifera) comunicam a localização de fontes de alimento a demais obreiras durante uma dança onde sinais sonoros transmitidos pelo ar contém informações importantes. Estes sinais se consistem de movimentos ritmados em alta velocidade movimentando o ar. Tais sons de campo próximo são recebidos e interpretados usando o órgão de Johnston. As abelhas também percebem mudanças no campo elétrico através dos órgãos de Johnston de suas antenas, e possivelmente com outros mecanorreceptores. Campos elétricos gerados por batimentos de asas ocasionam deslocamentos das antenas baseadas na lei de Coulomb. Os neurônios do órgão de Johnston respondem a movimentos dentro da mesma faixa de deslocamentos dos campos elétricos. Quando as antenas foram experimentalmente impedidas de se movimentar nas articulações contendo o órgão de Johnston, as mesmas abelhas não mais respondiam a campos elétricos relevantes. Desta maneira as abelhas parecem usar campos elétricos emanantes da abelha dançante para se comunicarem à distância.

Anatomia dos insetos
Entomologia

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Versatile, functional and modern, Dalvie Systems provides a large range of canteen furniture, with a varied selection of tables and chairs to suit every environment. We stock canteen tables to suit all budgets - from the value canteen table with plastic seats, to the premier canteen table featuring fully welded construction and polypropylene seat shells.
Our robust canteen table with bench seating features a steel box section with a 20mm thick wipe-clean laminate top. The bench seats fit under the table for easy storage. We also stock canteen tables with fully welded construction for extra durability - with light grey table tops and in a choice of two, four or six seats that are available in black, red or blue.
Alpha and Beta canteen tables come with two, four or six seats, in a wide range of colours. The seats are made from moulded polypropylene mounted on a strong steel frame, and the table top is manufactured from melamine-coated chipboard.
Convenient and versatile, our folding table is made from heavy-duty, blow-moulded plastic with folding legs for compact storage. Selected models easily fold from the centre, making them simple to carry. For a more traditional look, our Charlie canteen table comes with beech seats mounted on a sturdy steel frame.
We also stock seats that can be bought separately including the Stork high stool, bistro chairs and bistro high stools - all available in beech, or convenient folding chairs made from heavy-duty blow-moulded plastic.
We can provide the perfect canteen furniture for every environment. For further information, please give us a call.


text:
Home Durban
YOUNG OWNERS RAISE A GLASS TO WHISKY BARON'S SUN MET SUCCESS
It was a day that had the trimmings you'd expect when a new sponsor, looking to make an immediate impact, comes on board and Cape Town came out in their numbers to see what The Sun Met celebrated with GH Mumm was about.
With the added incentive as the richest race in Africa with a stake of R5-million a quality field of 15 lined up for the 2000m contest. By the end of it, jockey Greg Cheyne had a reason to raise a glass as he guided Whisky Baron home in front of an appreciative crowd.
It was a wonderful moment for owners, brothers Craig and Ross Kieswetter enjoying their biggest moment to date during their time in horseracing.
Before the running of The Sun Met there were doubts with regards to the eventual winner being able to compete against the likes of Horse of the Year, Legal Eagle but he proved otherwise, putting a length and a half between himself and the runner-up.
"It's a very different feeling. I was very lucky to play cricket internationally but this tops it all. To celebrate it with my family makes it an even prouder moment," former England international Craig, said of his horse's achievement.
"It's a great feeling and great team effort, echoed Ross before adding plaudits for jockey Cheyne and trainer Brett Crawford.
"It was a great ride and Brett is a top trainer. It's huge," he added.
'It's indescribable," Cheyne said of the feeling after pulling his mount up and heading back to a warm reception in the winner's circle.
The winning jockey was also full of praise for sponsors Sun International.
"It's super exciting for them. It's been a fantastic day and I just want to wish them well and that it goes from strength to strength."
The crowd had earlier been wowed by the famous flying dismount from Frankie Dettori after he claimed the Investec Cape Derby (Gr 1) aboard Edict of Nantes, which meant a Group One double for trainer Crawford.
The Klawervlei Majorca Stakes (Gr 1) was won by Nightingale while Carry On Alice proved too speedy for the opposition and claimed the Betting World Cape Flying Championship (Gr 1).


text:
More From Bater Wardam on Iraq
"true, What Happened to the Family of President Saddam is major drama, but it is no different from what thousands of families in Iraq faced under his rule. There is not a single Iraqi family that did not lose a son or a father or more to the haphazard wars, the oppression of the opposition, the snitching, the executions, the fleeing from the country, the hunger, and the disease....
"President Saddam ruled with the power of fear and with an iron fist. This meant the people's submission, but it could not have meant love at all.... The fate of President Saddam and his family is not important, and it should not be focused upon, because what is important is Iraq's fate as a state and people under the occupation." -- Bater Wardam, Columnist for the Jordanian daily Al-Dustour, 8/4/03
Secretary of State Colin Powell approved the payment of a $30 million reward to the person who provided the critical piece of information that led to Uday and Qusay Hussein. The award for Saddam's sons was set at $15 million each.
This is the largest payment in the history of the Rewards for Justice Program.
The payment was made quickly to illustrate to the Iraqi's that the Coalition keeps our promises.
The U.S. appreciates the effort that this individual made and the risk that he took to help us in what is a very important development for the United States, for coalition forces, but also for the people of Iraq.
There are other opportunities for similar sums of money to be paid should other individuals want to come forward with information about Saddam Hussein.
A Renewed Iraq for Iraqis
The Coalition's three major goals:
Themes for the week of August 3rd
It has been almost 100 days since the end of major combat operations and successes the Iraqis with the Coalition partners have achieved:
Water supply is now at 90 percent of pre-conflict levels.
Teachers salaries have increased four-fold over salaries during Saddam's regime.
Nearly 3 dozen countries are contributing financially to the renewal of Iraq, 19 countries are supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.