Miss Representation

Finally I have seen “Miss Representation” as a concluding film in my SF International Film Festival journey.  And all I can say is – wow! The movie made me mad one minute, sad the next and positively inspired the following. It kept me completely absorbed – I swear I caught myself leaning forward in my seat a few times as if to get closer and catch more details emanating from the screen. The movie is a masterpiece – an educational provocation that touches your heart and mind by making you take a closer look at the media around you and how it shapes your perception. The main focus of the film, told in the first person narrative by Jennifer Siebel Newsom, zooms in on a national epidemic of media objectification of women and their absence in television and film as powerful role models and leaders. With the help of extensive statistical data, the film raises a number of serious questions. Why in Elementary School an equal number of boys and girls aspire to be the president of the United States but by the time they are in High School this desire is solely observed in boys? Why do women suffer from body dysmorphic disorders set against unrealistic and often photo shopped female ideals in magazines while men are allowed to disregard their appearances in favor of social status? Why are women still paid 70 cents on a dollar for an equivalent work with men?

The main question, however, remains in what do we as a society do to prevent our daughters from suffering the societal pressures of being both powerless and perfect in a world run by an often archaic patriarchal system? How does a woman raise her voice when she often feels that it will fall on deaf ears? Recognition of the symptoms of illness is the first step in its treatment and “Miss Representation” does just that – it points out the indifference and placid acceptance with which our society embraces the new forms of entertainment. The reality TV catfights, boarder-line pornographic rap videos and tabloids that dare to call many women in power: “bitch” (Hilary Clinton), “ditz” (Sarah Palin) and “dominatrix” (Condoleezza Rice) – all kinds of names that distract and hide the powerful women by enveloping them in horrendous gender stereotypes and robbing them of their power to be mentors and leaders to the growing generation of girls. You cannot be what you cannot see and our young girls are deprived of the examples of women in leadership positions to have as inspiration. There are plenty of magazines discussing the next drunken party or plastic surgery of a given Hollywood celebrity and far fewer articles noting the road to success of distinguished female CEOs.

The numerous interviews of the highly accomplished women as well as teenagers' emotional experiences make this movie a must see for every woman and every man who want our society to grow and progress to a state of equality and intellectual enlightenment and not resemble a never ending episode of “Jersey Shore.” For me the quote by Alice Walker, a talented author and poet, not only summarizes the main idea of “Miss Representation” but also acts as a subtle call for immediate action:

“The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any”

Please support the cause and follow the development of Jennifer Newsom’s future work by joining the movement at http://www.missrepresentation.org/welcome.html

For a more detailed review of the film, please visit The Hollywood Reporter article at http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/sundance-review-representation-96532