Women Directing

Suanne Bier

In this day in age women are still facing certain restrictions within the roles they can assume. But despite the inequalities in the film industry and limitations they face, there are a few women directors that are amazingly successful. Susanne Bier was born in Copenhagen, Denmark and has a Jewish background. she completed her graduated studies from the Danisch School of Film in Copenhagen. She is a working mother of two children.

Has directed the following fims: After the Wedding, Brothers, Open Hearts and Things We Lost in the Fire, this is just a few of her work. Her fims focus on factual life events. She is a firm beliver of family values and is passionate about her work. Has won several awards: Sundance Audience Award 2005

Egmont Film award 2010

Upcoming Nomination for the Foreign Language Oscar Film 2011

As described in Author/Auter she is a product of 'Gynocriticism' is a way of assessing works of art specifically in relation to the interests and desires of women. As Donovan points out it involves a separate female way of thinking, and recognition that women's experience has been effectively silenced by a masculine culture." Bier is passionate about her work and being a mother is partly whe she directs and writes about these types of film.

"Ms. Bier has a suggestion about why her films are the way they are, with their keen portrayal of both happines and despair. "I think that being Jewish has generated an extremely strong sense of the importance of family, she says. "If I look at my Scandinavian collegues, they don't have that urgency about family. All my movies are about that." And, she adds, she doesn't think she would be the director she is if she hadn't had her children, a son who is 17 and a daughter who is 11. "New York Times, March 25, 2007.

Bier is a director getting the message out on what affects the lives of many individuals and although she does not create the same type of films as male directors, she has successfully capture a large audience, specifically in Denmark.

Personal quotes by Bier "I use it [hand-held-camera] in order to enable actors to move around freely because I want them to be truthful at all times and that means they should be able to move and not be bound by fixed camera position. I think if it's used for style it's a mistake. It's there to do something very specific."

"I'm not interested in making a topical, political movie but I am interested in mking a film that engages people. In so many European films, the political topic is the main interest and I've always hated that. I don't like topical films. I don't like films that have all the answers ready. I personally like to be entertained and engaged and them make up my own mind." New York Times, March 25, 2007

"I do believe movies need to have an ability to communicate. For me moviemaking is not a pure art. It is a mass medium, even if it should be coherent artistically coherent. I've have had a lot of spanking from my European collegaues. They don't really agree. But I believe that." New York Times March 25, 2007

She gets involved not only the script but with the characters as well. Bier has received positive reviews from her fellow colleages. Her fim Brothers was remade in 2010.

She is powerful and well recieved. I look forward into seeing more female film makers as Bier in the future. She is an example that women can direct great films.

Bibliography:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/25/movies/25gold.html
http://www.egmont.com/press/news-and-press-release/egmont-news/susanne-bier-receives-film-award
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0081540/bio
http;//www.nordiskfilm.com/press/newsandnewspressreleases/film/susanne-bier-receives-film-award/
http://www.yutube.com/watch?v=jkrCYF4nJUc

Images from: http://www.fotosearch.com/photos-images/film-director.html