This year MUFF is proud to present an exciting showcase of films
that are all directed by women with bite! Women in Film in Australia
have not been as radical, iconoclastic, controversial or out there as
our overseas sisters (Well except Anna Brownfield and The Money Shot…this
years Closing Night flick!). Perhaps they are reticent to bare their
fangs? To inspire women filmmakers to go all the way and give us aggressive,
authentic and auteur post-feminist flicks check out this impressive line
up of femme film fatales…
The Virgin Machine
Dir: Monika Truet | Germany/USA | 1988 | 86 mins
From Monika Truet, the cool German director of the classic SM tinged
feature “Seduction: The Cruel Woman”, comes this classic exploration
of female sexuality. The female protagonist sick of relationships with
men goes in search of Mommy in the wild lesbian underworld of San Fran. Sex,
Dildoes and mischief pursues, as our wide-eyed heroine gets busy in
more ways than one. Great exploration of gay sexuality and a woman’s
search for fulfilment through sensual pleasure. A post feminist treat…
Loop | Sat 9th July 7pm
Tiefland
Dir: Leni Riefenstahl | Germany | 1942 | 2 hours approx
Well, we all know that naughty film Triumph of the Will, that brilliant
four hour Olympia and those crazy mountaineering movies she appeared
in the 30’s, but few have seen her early 40’s opus Tiefland. The book
I saw “Women who run with the wolves” exposes a thesis that can
definitely be applied to Ms. Riefenstahl. See a fascinating piece of feminist
cinema that is one of the most controversial in the canon. While many find
Riefenstahl’s politics questionable, her filmmaking genius is hard
to deny.
Pop Shop | Thu 14th July 7pm
The Loveless
Dir Kathryn Bigelow | USA | 82 mins
Ms. Bigelow’s cool debut feature starring a sexy young Willen Dafoe
doing his thang, is one of the early classics of eighties cinema. Bigelow
who went on to direct the excellent Near Dark and okay Point Break,
makes an impressive first film full of bikes, violence and energy.
Loop | Sat 9th July 5pm
DoRis Wishman Double feature!
Indecent Desires
Dir: Doris Wishman | USA | 1968 | 71 mins
Deadly Weapons
Dir: Doris Wishman | USA | 75 mins
Crazy sexploitation femme guru Doris Wishman made these two cool flicks
in the swinging sixties. Indecent Desires plays with the female concept
of identity as Zeb falls in love with a doll. He caresses his rubber
friend which in turn stimulates a young secretary named Ann. A whacked
out supernatural sex epic you won’t want to miss! In Deadly Weapons
the fear of the nurturing breast is exposed in this espionage homage
featuring Chesty Morgan who truly has some monstrous and huge action in the
front of her chest. See Chesty give it all she’s got in this wild grind
house classic. Be sure to check out Andrew Leovold’s Wishman tribute
and her nudist film both in MUFF 2005!
Pop Shop | Thu 14th July 9pm
Ayn Rand: A Sense of Life
Dir: Michael Paxton | USA | 90 mins
Author of The Fountain head and Atlas Shrugged and also founder of
Objectivist philosophy; an intellectual theory for life that celebrates
leadership, capitalism and selfishness, Ayn Rand is an outsider in feminist
circles. This fascinating doco takes a look at her life and work and gives
a fascinating insight into this iconoclastic and popular female figure. Ayn
Rand was a Russian immigrant who loved the idea of America from an early
age. In America, and in New York City in particular, she saw the highest
culmination of humanities achievement. In her view, only a completely free
capitalist economic system allows human beings to express their true nature
and reach their full potential. This philosophy was later adapted by the
modern libertarian movement (which Rand herself quickly disassociated herself
from for various personal and ideological reasons). Don’t miss this fascinating portrait.
KINO DENDY | Fri 15th July 5pm