Japan Society Hosts Women's Film Series in NYC | Asiance Magazine at Schema : more than ethnic

Japan Society Hosts Women's Film Series in NYC | Asiance Magazine

I love watching Asian films that challenge the conventional stereotype of the Asian-geisha-obedient female stereotype. You know, films where the female protagonist are real women, clever, strong and empowered. Historically, the depiction of women in film has had more impact on the lives of women than any other media. Likewise, it's alternate female roles that have the potential to undo much of the stereotypes we hold in our everyday lives.

While browsing through Asiance Magazine, I discovered this fantastic series, Mad, Bad and Dangerous to Know featuring three women in Japanese film who have pushed the boundaries:

At the opposite end of the stereotype of docile Japanese women—heroic good mothers, chaste daughters and hardworking faithful wives—actresses Ayako Wakao, Mariko Okada and Meiko Kaji embodied the transgression of limits, breaking rules, flouting norms and generally upsetting everyone.
This series explores the idea of unconventional beauty that these spellbinding actresses created through an unparalleled body of films. Both Wakao and Okada were muses and inspiration for two major film directors, Yasuzo Masumura and Kiju (Yoshishige) Yoshida, respectively, while Kaji navigated between filmmakers, a wild card of Japanese cinema at the time. Put together, their films delineate what one could call an aesthetic of convulsive beauty (André Breton). (From Asiance Magazine)

(Above: Lady Snowblood - Blizzard from the Netherworld)

Mad, Bad and Dangerous to Know runs from March 31 - April 18, 2010
At the Japan Society in NY (333 East 47th Street, New York)
See schedule of 13 films at www.japansociety.org

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Comments

I think you are missing the real point of the series. I don't believe that the point is to portray 'real' women. REAL MODERN women in various parts of Asia are not infact empowered. Women in very few parts of the world are empowered as i'm sure you are very well aware. Yet as you seem not to be aware of, Japanese have been writing stories, movies and books that show women in powerful lead, gender-stereotype-defying roles for hundreds of years. Not that the women themselves are empowered who write these stories, but the idea that they are empowered is much more muted, quell any suspicions of their impotence to men's power. I hope you take care to notice these subtleties, and realise that with Japan's reputation for the oppression of women, still with films, series, movies, manga such as this, it is in no way an attempt to move on from those traditions.

I really enjoyed watching Memoirs of a Geisha. I love that although all the main characters are geishas, they all have different ambitions, conflicts, and characteristics. The movie really brought out the perspectives of each woman and they seemed more human than just geishas.

I had to read this article and @Anonymous' comments with care, because I feel like some good points have been made.

First, I think it's a great thing that they're having this film series in NYC. It gives people a chance to learn about being women depicted in Japanese cinema and the female actresses seem to be really compelling in their portrayals.

@anonymous: You might be right in that the point isn't to portray "real" women, but then I think what Michelle means is that the female characters are depicted as experiencing real circumstances, feelings, thoughts and emotions. None of the three women appears to be simple and, in fact, they're far from it. From vicious man-killers to lusting lovers, the complexities of their characters seem to resonate with and/or perhaps be analogous to the internal struggle women experience while being in a oppressive/suppressive environment.

p.s. why the anonymity?

Rachel and Claudia, thanks for your comments.

@Anonymous, thank you for your comment. I do agree that women in various parts of Asia are oppressed, but with the new age today, more and more REAL MODERN women are able to extract themselves from those chains through education and equal opportunity. Japan is one of the countries that displays the modern development of women in successful and thriving careers. Although Japan may have a rough history with the depictions of women in artistic mediums, Lady Snowblood is supposed to be a symbol of strength and courage for the women in Japan, not a helpless damsel in distress. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the questions your point raised. Merci.

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