In celebration of the National Women’s Month, a series of award-winning and internationally acclaimed films on the diverse narratives and perspectives of women will be screened for free every Wednesday of March.
The rich collection welcomes the audience to view and understand the nuanced and layered humanity of different female personas. It explores the weight of unwanted teenage pregnancy, the sensitivities of motherhood, the reality of mankind in the eyes of a femme fatale and the interesting dynamics between characters of diverse social classes.
Set in the early 18th century England, comedy-drama The Favourite (2018) by Greek director Yorgos Lanthimos is a study on power and manipulation. It depicts how the tight friendship between the frail Queen Anne and Sarah Churchill, the Duchess of Marlborough, is challenged by the arrival of the new courtier and Sarah’s cousin, Abigail Hill. It will be on view on March 8.
Under the Skin (2013), a sci-fi drama by English director and screenwriter Jonathan Glazer, follows an extraterrestrial posing as a woman to seduce lonely men. Loosely based on the 2000 novel of the same name by Dutch-born writer Michael Faber, it explores the concepts of human experiences, psychology, and self-discovery through the lenses of an alien. It is slated on March 15.
American filmmaker Maggie Gyllenhaal presents a compelling reflection on womanhood and motherhood in The Lost Daughter (2021). An adaptation of the 2006 book of the same title by Italian novelist Elena Ferrante, this psychological drama follows a vacationing college professor whose obsession with a woman and her daughter triggers memories of her dark past. It is scheduled on March 22.
Never Rarely Sometimes Always (2020) follows two teenage girls in rural Pennsylvania, who, after an unwanted pregnancy, travel to New York City to seek medical help. A journey of friendship, resilience, and compassion, this piece directed by American screenwriter and producer Eliza Hittman highlights one’s right to choose. It is set on March 29.
Curated by the Museum of Contemporary Art and Design (MCAD) of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB), the free and public online screenings will be conducted via Zoom every 12 noon on the scheduled dates.
To register, email mcad@benilde.edu.ph. For more information, visit the official Facebook page of MCAD (https://www.facebook.com/MCADManila).