THE OBENSON REPORT

Covering Cinema From All Across The African Diaspora

DOWN THE PIKE - Samuel L Jackson In "Rape"



In what has to possibly be the most bothersome title for a film, Variety is reporting that Samuel L. Jackson, Maria Bello, and Abigail Breslin are set to star in an indie drama called,
Rape: A Love Story.

The film is based on a novella by Joyce Carol Oates in which a woman (Maria Bello) begins rebuilding her life after being brutally gang-raped - an attack that is witnessed by her young daughter (Breslin). After the incident, her attackers obsessively stalk the woman, while a sympathetic policeman (played by Jackson) assumes the responsibility of protecting her.

Some worthwhile factoids about this production: the screenplay will be adapted by a man; the film will be directed by a man; and the film will be produced by a man!

Are these facts worth screaming about, or am I just being hypersensitive again?

Rape is an extremely touchy subject that if not handled with the appropriate care could instead trivialize an otherwise profound matter; and while I champion any attempts by films and filmmakers to enlighten audiences on the plight of abused women, I cringe at what often resembles gratuitous exploitation.

No word on when the film will be released - likely some time in 2010.



via BLACK FILM ACADEMY via VARIETY

4 comments:

  1. Karen said...
     

    A female director or writer would have been nice, but it's just another example of how women filmmakers get passed over.

  2. Anonymous said...
     

    I agree with SolShine. And I don't think you're being hypersensitive. There's a real problem here that many of us women have been screaming about for a long time.

  3. The Wendilicious Wonder said...
     

    It seems that the powers that be still think women need to have men speak for them rather than have people hear them speak for themselves.

    It seems women's stories and voices can only bee seen as commercially viable when they come from the viewpoint of men... And we wonder why, say, in the Rhianna/CB debacle, young women will jump to the defence of the male party in such an incident...

    But the movie has already been made and none of us have seen it yet so we can only wait to find out from what perspective the story is told and how objective a portrayal of events it gives.

  4. Sujewa Ekanayake said...
     

    Hmmm...tough call...rape or any significant negative human event affects everyone - women, men, kids, the community, nation, etc. if the filmmakers do a good job - to be decided by audiences, including female audiences - I guess that's cool.

    On another track, we do need more female directors & filmmakers. So yeah, a film concerning rape would have been a great directing opportunity for a skilled female filmmaker who cares a lot aboout the subject.

    I think (re: lack of female directors) - in hollywood & in the indie film world - a lot of males are active & they like to help their friends (which ends up being mostly their male friends) - so - in the same way - i think women will need to start funding & producing more films for female directors to have work opportunities to ultimately even out the gender imbalance in the film world.

    I do think this problem is temporary, as the new generation of girls & women seem to be as interested in tech, storytelling, etc. - participating in culture - as boys & men due to the influence & encouragement/opportunities provided by the web & digital video, etc. So, I think by the time we get old-ish (another 20 years? :), there will be tons of female filmmakers working in America.

    - S

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