The student media organization of California State University Northridge

Daily Sundial

The student media organization of California State University Northridge

Daily Sundial

The student media organization of California State University Northridge

Daily Sundial

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Dark side of female filmmaking exposed

Women Behind the Camera,” a film that profiles filmmakers, and the social disparities associated with practicing the craft as a female, screened Friday night to a capacity crowd at the Alan and Elaine Armer Theater.

What ties this gender analysis to CSUN is that it was written, directed and produced by CTVA professor Alexis Krasilovsky.

Before the screening, Roberta Orona-Cordova, assistant professor of Chicana/o studies, introduced the film, saying that when she first viewed the film, she thought to herself, “Wow! This is a very important film. This is very inspiring.”

The film, which shares the title of Krasilovsky’s book, exposes the harsh realities that women behind the camera often face.

Krasilovsky’s film features interviews with women from all over the world, including pioneers of the field.

All the camerawomen told stories of inequality, which often crossed the line into sexual harassment.

In a predominately male-dominated Hollywood, Krasilovsky’s film raises awareness as to the importance of equality.

“I definitely had a political agenda,” Krasilovsky said. “The whole reason the film went international was to put Hollywood to shame.”

In one scene, an older Chinese woman described the unwelcoming heckles she received when entering a village when the people realized she was a woman. She was young at the time and Chinese dictator Mao Zedong was in power.

Krasilovky continues her grassroots organizing, consistent with her other films, to promote her film and its message, even creating a MySpace page.

Krasilovsky is looking for funding to print additional copies of “Women Behind the Camera.” She hopes to see it be distributed internationally.

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