Beyond Bechdel

It's often the driving force behind plot, but female trauma isn't often truthfully depicted on screen. This is becoming a problem. Contrarah speaks to trauma expert Dr Karen O'Donnell about the stages in trauma presentation and resolving, and how directors are spreading misinformation with dicey narrative decisions (e.g. I've suffered sexual assault I must go and have sex with someone else immedia...

This 'Bit Beyond' celebrates the latest outing of everyone's favourite double-gun-toting treasure hunter. In Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Lara Croft's motivation, inner conflict and aggression are explored as never before. Probably because of the amazing work from the game's lead writer - Jill Murray. Lara jumps impossibly far, hangs from the thinnest crevice, uses that bow to deadly effect and has...

We all love to watch performers, but very few of us know what it's like to be one. Helen Hamer knows, and she tells Contrarah exactly what it's like to work in the performing arts. Helen discusses her journey from getting in to a prestigious drama school through to navigating the real-life casting process, and how much gender factors into every actress's career. Then Helen discusses playwriting an...

According to a recent American study, for every 1 female critic there are 3.5 male critics. Just to compare, in terms of world population, for every 1 female there are 1.2 males. We speak to Bianca Garner - who is a critic and a woman, about why there is such a large gender discrepancy and what we can do to change it. Her solution involves David Bowie and Nicolas Cage....sort of. Read Bianca's wor...

This episode is about a common misconception in cinema, that men and women want different things. Studios are still dividing movies this way, an outdated practice. We speak to Just Jen, a film writer who works in TV production about what makes a great movie. Jen doesn't believe in gender division, she chooses what to watch much like you do. We discuss how filmmakers entice viewers, the role of ste...

When you hear the words “it is a truth universally acknowledged…” can you immediately finish the sentence? If you answered YES then this is the podcast episode for you. Contrarah and Nick delve deep into the BBC’s 1995 TV adaptation of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice with a jolly thorough look at the classic six-parter. We discuss whether our feelings towards this version have changed in recent...

Contrarah's latest mini-pod tells tales of the cinematic archive and the often depressing lack of inclusivity in past movies...with some light at the end of the tunnel for Asian stars and audiences. With thanks to The Annenburg Inclusion Initiative's Inequality study: http://assets.uscannenberg.org/docs/inequality-in-1100-popular-films.pdf Michelle La interview from Popcorn Talk: https://www.youtu...

This episode includes a very funny discussion with Courtney Hodgkiss, a writer, journalist and wannabe-comic who has in-depth knowledge of the music and comedy industries. Courtney is witty, bright and savvy; she also self-identifies as disabled, battling a chronic form of Crohn's disease. Her condition doesn't stop her, and is instead the impetus for her pursuit of a comedy career. She is inspira...

Anne V Coates was a veteran of Hollywood film editing, making her way from leafy Surrey to Hollywood via the Arabian desert. She had first-rate skills and a phenomenal career. We celebrate her life and work in this episode. Some ace footage of chinagraph film marking can be found here: https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/video/1940s-close-up-hands-of-man-editing-film-on-stock-video-footage/670-83...

You've heard the word, you know it isn't good, but like us, you're not exactly sure what the deal with fridging is....Let Contrarah and Nick wade through film history and do the hard work for you. Or not, because we're still confused...but we do agree that puppies are soooooo cute. Come say hi on twitter @Beyond_Bechdel & on email @beyondbech@gmail.com. And hey, while you're here.....STOP SHOVING...

This 'Bit' celebrates cinematic heroes (both in front of camera and behind the scenes) We celebrate: > Kelly Marie Tran (& Rose Tico) > Tallulah Riley (and Angela) > The women working tirelessly behind the scenes at the BFI. Find out more here: http://www.bfi.org.uk/news-opinion/sight-sound-magazine/features/pictures/women-movie-camera

43% Last Jedi 37% Force Awakens 35% Rogue One 23% Return of the Jedi 22% Empire Strikes Back 20% Phantom Menace 18% Attack of the Clones 17% Revenge of the Sith 15% A New Hope... ...These are the percentages of screen time for female identifying characters in the Star Wars universe, according to a detailed study by the brilliant Dr Becca Harrison, who gained celebrity, notoriety and a whole heap o...

A Bit Beyond about three amazing women - Meghan, Tayari and Cate. Meghan Markle's feminist page: https://www.royal.uk/duchess-sussex Tayari Jones on Death, Sex & Money: https://www.wnycstudios.org/story/death-sex-money-tayari-jones/ Cate Blanchett at Cannes :https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/cannes-2018-cate-blanchett-gender-equality-speech-watch-women-march-times-up-a835...

SPOILERS IN THIS EPISODE You can pass the Turing Test, but can you pass the Bechdel Test? That's sort of the question asked by Nick and Contrarah as they take a deep dive into #Westworld. Both a TV show and a theme park that would be nothing without its female characters. We explore the journey to consciousness experienced by leads Maeve and Dolores and get into how their differing paths act as po...

This is the first 'Bit Beyond' just a little snapshot of life beyond the Bechdel test. - More on Gretchen Rubin: https://gretchenrubin.com/ - Infinity War music: https://www.youtube.com/user/marvelVEVO/videos - More on Lisa Joy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTAxMzvSBgE Please rate and review and spread the joy!

In 2018 Frances Mcdormand used her Oscar-win speech to talk about **Inclusion Riders** ...and was met with silence from the bewildered Oscar crowd. But the ripples made by those two words turned to waves across Hollywood and beyond. Contrarah agrees that it's about time that the law is used to help women get the jobs and exposure that they deserve, so she enlists Lawyer Nicci Morris to talk throug...

Following on from Part 1, in this episode we discuss the role of sex in games (oh yeah) including GamerGate (oh no) and the possibility of well-drawn female characters that are sexy AND have opinions, values and their own plots. Then we move onto storytelling, especially one girl's beautiful story arc (you'll laugh, you'll cry, you may fall in love with another girl, you'll definitely shoot zombie...

SHOCK: Girls like gaming! Especially games with girls in charge. And finally the gaming industry is catching up with the players. In Part 1 we chart the progress in RPGs from a focus on banging bodies to a focus on character and plot. What took developers so long? Featured games: Tomb Raider 1 and 2 Rise of the Tomb Raider Resident Evil Resident Evil 4 Resident Evil: Biohazard Uncharted 1-4 Unchar...

Lady Macbeth (writer: Alice Birch, director: William Oldroyd) stole our hearts, and she's capable of a lot more. This episode focuses on why this film resonates so much with women and what it says about feminism, given that it barely passes the Bechdel test. How amazing is Florence Pugh's accent?! And we'd like to give a quick apology to Amy Jump.... Bafta interview with Alice Birch can be found h...

Becky Matthews made a film. It's called Double Word Score. But she didn't just make a film. She did so much more. Becky had an idea, took control of her creative career and then made it happen. She tells us how she did it. This episode is about living your cinematic dreams and...the importance of making film friendships. Watch Double Word Score here: http://www.theopendoorshowcase.com/Double_Word_...

The three films with the biggest US domestic box office success in 2017 all shared something not seen perhaps ever before: multiple female protagonists (and a female director just for good measure)...  This has to be a good thing for women on film, right? Contrarah and Nick deep dive into: 1) The Last Jedi 2) Beauty and the Beast 3) Wonder Woman to determine whether cinema is turning a corner...

What connects Borgen, Christopher Hitchens, Ainsley Hayes, Busanhaeng and Jo Brand? NOTHING...except that they're all covered in this conversation between Contrarah and Susan Hansen. Spanning continents, race, gender and more, what could be a depressing conversation about discrimination is actually a life-affirming chat about role models. Susan can be found at twitter.com/susanhansen3 and www.itsa...

Welcome to the twilight zone - this is not a drill - men and(black, blonde or promiscuous)women are dying! This is Part 2 of a two-parter (Please SUBSCRIBE and go back to listen to Part 1 first) devoted to the creepiest of genres. We start by researching where the Final Girl trope came from and the good and (mostly) bad things that it says about male filmmakers and female horror stars. Then we dis...

This is Part 1 of a two-parter (Please SUBSCRIBE so you can be ready for Part 2) devoted to the creepiest of genres. Yeah, it's hardly timely (unless you're listening on 31st October) but the relationship between women and horror movies is a perennial puzzle.  Listen as Nick comes up with a clever theory on the real meaning of Rosemary's Baby, and join us to discuss why women rule against the...

After getting all excited over crouching tigers and hidden dragons, Hollywood largely ignored girl-on-girl action films (the ones where they get to use samurai swords, kung fu and uzis) for almost 15 years. And then, suddenly, CHARLIZE THERON and GAL GADOT BROUGHT THE GOODS! Katie Smith-Wong talks about atomic blondes and brunettes on the fury road carrying immortal blades. We also ask how to capi...