Half the Picture
Description
Amy Adrion’s necessary documentary interviews scores of women in Hollywood, including Miranda July, Ava DuVernay, and Penelope Spheeris, to address the industry’s woeful record of promoting, sustaining, and advocating for female filmmakers. Even in the wake of blockbusters such as Twilight (2008), Wayne’s World (1992), and Wonder Woman (2017), the number of movies directed by women has remained lamentably static for 20 years. With candid behind-the-scenes stories and suggestions of how to promote and advocate for change, Half the Picture begins an urgent conversation that is long overdue.
“Half the Picture is a vital, comprehensive documentary on a subject that’s so fundamental to the industry it’s about, you have to wonder why dozens of movies on this scale or bigger haven’t already been made. It seems absurd that we’ve had to wait until 2018 for a film to address the essential question at the core of this inquiry: Why are there so few women film directors working today? What stands in their way? What forces conspire to keep them from working?” – Leslie Felperin, Variety
Following the April 9 screening, the Festival will present an extended conversation about building a pipeline towards gender equity in the film and media industry, featuring director Amy Adrion from Half the Picture and Esther Pearl, Founder & Executive Director of Camp Reel Stories – A Media Camp for Girls.
Amy Adrion is a graduate of UCLA’s MFA film directing program. She previously made the Surviving 7th Grade (2005), The Home of Split Pea Soup (2007), and Shoegazer (2010). She explains that Half the Picture, her feature documentary debut, was inspired by her own experience and that of other women filmmakers of her acquaintance. “I graduated from film school and was having trouble getting my feature off the ground, as were many of my female colleagues. Right around that time I felt bombarded by the statistics, reports, and articles about the lack of working women directors and was feeling overwhelmed by how impossible it seemed for women to have careers as directors.” (womeandhollywood.com)
Trailer
//player.vimeo.com/video/259729680Film Details
Language English
Year 2018
Runtime 94
Country USA
Director Amy Adrion
Producer Amy Adrion, David Harris
Editor Kate Hackett
Cinematographer Yamit Shimonovitz, Soraya Sélène
Music Laura Karpman, Nora Kroll-Rosenbaum