Hi there. It's been awhile since I've written. I have been quite busy with LIFE, you know. So, I thought I bring up the topic about WOMEN DIRECTORS. I got a book a few months ago on this topic and found it fascinating. I am a woman and am therefore interested in women's stories. Men direct most films. That's a fact. So, therefore most of the women we see on the screen are conceptions of men's minds. When we watch these films we are seeing men's projection of women. I guess until I started reading this book I never really thought about it before. Let's take a poll. How many female directors can you name? I can name two, right away, SOPHIA COPPOLA and JANE CAMPION. Then I struggle. Because of this book I can now name four, no, make that five, PENNY MARSHALL, IDA LUPINO and PATRICIA ROZEMA. How many male film directors can you name? Tons, right? Okay, no more discussion on this, let's discuss the film.

I'VE HEARD THE MERMAIDS SINGING

Details:
Length: 83 minutes

Director: PATRICIA ROZEMA

Cast: SHEILA MCCARTHY, PAULA BAILLARGEON, and ANN-MARIE MAC DONALD

Genres: INDEPENDENT, INDIE DRAMA, CANADA

Original release date: 1987

Well, my mother loves CANADA, so, when I was reading in the book that I HEARD THE MERMAIDS SINGING was one of the best films directed by a woman and that it was CANADIAN, I made the decision to check it out. Boy, or should I say Girl? Am I glad I did? The script is good and a bit unusual. The acting is wonderful. SHELIA MCCARTHY is a joy to watch. She has a funny face that registers emotion which such truth. This story is about a woman becoming an artist. It is also about relationships and crushes. It is about WOMEN. MS. ROZEMA's film is beautiful in it's simplicity. The film is set in the 1980's. I love it. The make-up. The fashion. The hair. The parties. I just found it a real treat to step into world that was somehow familiar, yet quite foreign. Does that make sense? It really doesn't have too. It is filmed in CANADA, somewhere, I can't remember what city. TORONTO, maybe. It is just cool to see the similarities and differences between countries that share a continent. Okay, I have gone on long enough. Just check this film out. Then you can say you have watched a film directed by a woman. Yay!!

Ciao,

Mitzi J. Johnson