FEMINIST FILM CLUB
Let's watch good movies together.
Hi and Happy March!
For those new here, I’m Ali, and this is Little Things, a bestselling Substack newsletter about creativity, the craft of writing, and being human.
Group experiences are a big part of what I’m about, from The Artist’s Way book club to the monthly Pitch Group (if you don’t know what that is, click on the link and check it out. It’s an incredible offering for paying subscribers.) The success of community events here not only shows me what YOU love, but also clarifies what I want from this space: I want this to be a creative hub for cool people to come together, explore art, find a community of like-minded people, and invest in their work and their wellbeing.
Which brings me to today’s news! There is a NEW, VERY CHILL, VERY COOL, LOW-COMMITMENT CLUB. With all my book recommendations and posts on TV writing, I feel I’ve been neglecting a great love of mine: Film. Not anymore. (If you’re doing The Artist’s Way with me, this absolutely came out of the process and of thinking how I can more authentically show up here to hold and cultivate space.) All this is to say…
YOU ARE CORDIALLY INVITED TO FEMINIST FILM CLUB.
(I will change the theme annually, but we’re starting with highlighting films by and about women.)
I’ve curated a list of exceptional films — several are my all-time favorites. I hope you’ll join me in viewing them each month and dissecting them together.
HOW IT WORKS
At the beginning of each month, I’ll send a post about the film and why I chose it. (THIS MONTH’S POST IS AT THE END OF THIS EMAIL).
There will be two options for watching the film: You can either view it on your own time or watch it with me on Discord. Yep, I’m starting a Discord! We’ll use it to discuss the film, share articles, etc. The link to join is at the bottom of this email. The Discord is for paying subscribers. However, at the end of each month, I’ll also start a thread in the Subscriber Chat where everybody can discuss that month’s selection.
Here is our list, moving sequentially through the decades:
⚡ THE 2024 FEMINIST FILM CLUB LIST ⚡
March: His Girl, Friday (1940)
Directed by Howard Hawks | American
April: All About Eve (1950)
Directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz | American
May: Cleo from 5-7 (1962)
Directed by Agnes Verda | French New Wave
June: Daises (1966)
Directed by Vera Chytilova | Czech New Wave
July: Jeanne Dielman, 23 Commerce Quay, 1080 Brussels (1975)
Directed by Chantal Ackerman | Belgian
August: Desperately Seeking Susan (1985)
Directed by Susan Seidelman | American
September: Daughters of the Dust (1991)
Directed by Julie Dash | American
October: Beau Travail (1999)
Directed by Claire Denis | French
November: Jennifer’s Body (2009)
Directed by Karyn Kusama | American
December: Songs My Brothers Taught Me (2015)
Directed by Chloe Zhao | American
If you’re considering upgrading your membership for FILM CLUB, rest assured that it comes with a lot more than Discord access:
Access to BOOK CLUB (After The Artist’s Way, there will be options to keep doing workbooks together; some are craft-focused, and others focus on spiritual growth.)
Access to monthly PITCH GROUP: A supportive environment to workshop a creative idea
Posts about the craft and career of screenwriting
Free workshops and discounts on classes
Becoming a full member of this newsletter is like entering the most supportive, hardworking club, filled with hundreds of curious creatives learning, growing, and exploring together.
MARCH’S SELECTION: HIS GIRL, FRIDAY (1940)
There is so much that I do not have in common with Quinten Tarantino. But against all odds, we had the same reaction when we watched Howard Hawks’ 1940 film His Girl, Friday:
“I remember how I came across Howard Hawks; I saw His Girl Friday and I thought that it was the best movie I ever saw. … My aim is that some kid in 50 years time has the same experience with me and my films.” — Quinten Tarantino
Released in the 1940s, His Girl, Friday is both ahead of its time and also a product of it. The first time I saw it, it stunned me. I couldn’t believe how funny it was, how fast the story moved, and how much I loved Hildy Johnson, its powerhouse, hilarious, flawed main character (played by Catherine Rosalind Russell). It felt like a film that would be made in 1990, not 1940.
The whip-smart film centers around a career woman who feels torn between her true passion (journalism) and her desire to be a wife and mother. However, an equally accurate way to describe it is: A newspaper editor manipulates his ex-wife to keep her from remarrying. There is much to debate about this film through a feminist lens, and also more broadly as a fan of cinema.
I’m excited to watch it again with you, years later, and see if my opinion has changed. It’s available for free on Prime Video, or for purchase on Apple. You can also watch a colorized version of the film on YouTube below, if you choose.
We will discuss this film in the chat at the end of March, so you have several weeks to watch it.
To join the Discord channel, just click the link below. We’ll watch it on Thursday, March 21st at 6pm PST.