Short Film Programmes Women in Film and Photography

At Objectifs as part of Women In Film & Photography 2017
With post screening discussion with directors Megan and Gladys

1. Pussy by Renata Gąsiorowska / Poland / 9 min / 2016 / M18

This opening film shocked me. I didn't know it will be in animation! It is a hilarious take on the exploration of this girl's sexuality. Drawn in simple linework with minimal colours, this girl wants to know what happens when she fiddles around her clitoris & nipples. 



A bug appears and she tries to find it. Across the road a boy is peeping at her as she take a bath and explores her body. She explores her body until the phone rings or something and she looks around in guilt. After the bug emerges, she tries to catch it. The boy ran across and is suddenly at her doorstep. She follows the bug who found its way out. It has morphed into this crazy gigantic bug with spiky teeth and is about to eat the boy alive. She walks out naked to catch it. The bug shrinks back to roach size. Boy runs away.

Next is this abstraction as the bug gets into all this tactile sensations, presumably when the girl climaxes. I can't quite remember how it ends. I remember the palm of the hand with those veins and cars moving across.








2. Woman at Home by Megan Wonowidjoyo / Singapore / 12 min / 2017 / PG
Directed and starred by Megan herself, this personal story of how she as a woman and homemaker, finds out about her husband's betrayal after 16 years of marriage, leading to an eventual divorce last year (2016).

I like how she portrayed herself in pots, pans, sundries, similar to how a homemaker/housewife's life revolves around seemingly unimportant tasks such as cooking and cleaning. Revolves and is trapped in this lifestyle. The items are gigantic compared to herself, done in collage style. Her husband is always travelling for work. She spurs him on career-wise and support his career decisions. She is plagued by loneliness as he is never around. They communicate via WhatsApp/ Text Messages. She looks after the son, helps him with homework and plays with him.

She is not sexually satisfied as hinted in the translucent nightgown hanging at the window sill.

One day she wakes up to her husband who admits he has fallen for another woman. He wants a divorce. She has woken up and now confronts the viewer.






3. Joy Joy Nails by Joey Ally / USA / 19 min / 2017 / PG13
This film looks at how women immigrants to the States help each other. Sarah, a Korean, lives in the States now and is recently promoted to manager of "Joy Joy Nails". This film peaks into the lifestyle of Asian immigrants who speak their native language and English to the Americans/ people living in America. They take a chartered bus to their workplace. They work at this nails place, which is also owned by Koreans. Sarah has a crush on the boss's son. But he fancies a new girl from China. Sarah is furious and makes it difficult for her. One lashes out in Korean, the other in Mandarin. With no unifying language, the body language of the Chinese signals distress and how she was raped by the son. Sarah pities her now and got money from the store to get birth control pills for her. She gets the money from the son eventually by exerting her power as manager of the place. She speaks out for all women, as a symbol of new-found power and authority.   
 



4. The Pursuit of a Happy Human Life by Gladys Ng / Singapore / 11 min / 2016 / PG
This film looks at a relationship between 2 secondary school girls. Steph is this girl with long hair who is leaving Singapore. Her tomboy good friend, Yokes, is trying to come to terms with it. Powerfully portrayed, there is heightened tension all the time, without the physical touch between two lesbians. Yokes buys a yellow balloon for Steph. They play with it and it floated away high up in the school hall. Is that what friendship amounts to? Something that floats away and slowly dissipates? Yokes is angst and throws away Steph's books. They walk back together with minimal parting words. But the looks of longing in their eyes are so thick I cannot cut it. Yet there is no physical touch at all throughout the film. It is even more powerful.

Steph was around during the screening. I bumped into her and her partner later on that night.
 

5. Wu Song Slays the Seductress by Kirsten Tan / Singapore / 12 min / 2017 / NC16
This was screened during 667, which I wrote about previously. I love this contemporary take of Chinese folklore. This time I was better able to admire Pan Jin Lian's body, and how although she is older, she is still so sprightly. And her figure is great. Wu Song, portrayed by a female too, hints at the possible attraction between two females.