Wanting a better world for her baby daughter, filmmaker Jennifer Siebel Newsom embarks on an unashamedly personal journey to figure out why women are so under-represented in the media and what can be done to change this.
All of Hollywood is run on one assumption: That women will watch stories about men, but men won’t watch stories about women.
Screened as part of NZIFF 2011
Miss Representation 2011
Through interviews with leading figures in Hollywood, politics and academia, Siebel Newsom looks at the current state of female representation in the media, and why women so often end up being portrayed as little more than ‘body props’. Some ofAmerica’s most influential women, such as Katie Couric, Condoleezza Rice and Rachel Maddow, share their experiences, with tales of short skirts, hate mail and being the only female in the room. Siebel Newsom also talks to teens who speak of the frustration they face being on the receiving end of strong media messages that emphasise beauty and sexiness over intelligence and leadership. When complex female representation in mainstream media is becoming increasingly rare, it’s refreshing to hear a group of smart women and men not only decrying the current situation, but making plans for a better future. — RG