BFI appoint Munroe Bergdorf as keynote speaker for #womanwithacamera summit

[SunsetBeetch]

This is just getting flipping ridiculous now. Munroe has made one very recent, very shoddy documentary.

Thrilled to be opening the @BFI #WomanWithAMovieCamera Summit to talk about feminism, power and culture.

t.co/gBU9fTCD7l

Most of the replies to the BFI are not impressed.

twitter.com/BFI/status/1006451177150730241?s=19

I guess they know a lot about power...

I know this made me angry too. They’ve ‘made’ 1 documentary that was basically being followed round by a camera crew and talking about themselves and are the KEYNOTE interview?! This is just provocation isn’t it? Not against their involvement but just their centering - it’s called Women with a Movie Camera FGS! Alienate your female audience why don’t you.

Lots of people speaking out on Twitter. They aren't holding back now. The backlash will only grow.

Good grief.

I'm not sure what I am more offended by, the idea that one documentary where you are followed by a film crew talking about yourself, makes you a film maker. Folk who have studied or worked at their craft will be insulted and surprised by this.

Or the suggestion that this this documentary was notable work by any woman.

And that's before you get to Monroe's appallingly nasty (well documented) opinions.

Looking at the replies to this, I'm also struck by how much things have changed. It's gone from loads of gushing and a few people taking the piss (about a year ago) to lots of people being righteously angry.

I think it also shows that these large orgs are big tankers to turn around. They like to think their fingers are on the pulse but they really aren't. We'll see a lot more of this sort of thing.

It’s so insulting to talented, film making women.

Women should boycott it.

Just outrageously insulting. I know women who have worked in film and struggled in a male dominated environment for much of the time. This is a slap in the face to them.

It really feels like people are just being trolled now.

What a relief it must be for the men to no longer have to treat women as equals. Descrimiation against women in the name of equality is effing brilliant.

It's fucking unreal. The irony of them inviting to an event that's designed to look at the issue of power for women

There's such a disconnect between organisations falling over themselves to kiss ass and individuals who aren't willing to be silenced.

Ridiculous. Bergdorf should not do this.

Wow. Very very surprised by this!

It IS insulting to women in film. Munroe Bergdorf is not qualified - as others have pointed out, they are not qualified on both levels - professional and personal. They can't speak for "women in film".

They could speak for "trans women/trans people in film", and then they would be only under-qualified on one level ... because I am willing to bet there are more talented and qualified trans people working in film who would have interesting things to say. But 'celebs' are always promoted over the 'ordinary workers' so it would not be so outrageous, just a bit more same-old same-old.

But to choose MB as the keynote on a women in film conference - and to talk about "power" ... fucking hell. Seriously.

They have plenty of talks and panels in this event, they could have had one headed by a trans person talking about their issues and that would have been fine, but to give the keynote speech to this misogynistic, unqualified... It really sends a message about how they value women.

Also, what about someone like Jake Graf, a trans man who is a film maker, has made several short films and is worthy of being recognised. Surely Jake would be a better choice that Bergdorf if they needed a trans person to speak.

www.ipetitions.com/petition/open-letter-to-the-bfi#.WyIOXNSLxV4.twitter

Petition here please sign and share.

Signed petition, thanks busyboys

SNAP! I posted a near identical thread at exactly the same time as this one was posted. What are the chances?

Munroe Bergdorf was the subject of one documentary. How does that make anyone able to speak as an authority in front of a room of women who have spent their entire lives making films (and fighting the patriarchy to do so)?

Please never forget that Munroe has publicly written (Tweeted) that the British suffragettes "specifically excluded black women from voting".

This is, of course, 100% untrue and a disgusting slur on the greatest feminist heroines.

Signed.

extract from open letter & petition to the BFI:
"As women who work within the film industry and as those in solidarity with these women, we are writing to ask why you have selected a male as the keynote speaker. We question the suitability of a male who has benefitted from the very structures we are critiquing as a speaker on the subject of women’s agency in relation to filmmaking. What does this say about the power structures that has relegated women on most levels of filmmaking to fill under 27% of the production roles? What kind of cultural work is being performed when a male is speaking on behalf of women filmmakers? Meanwhile, Munroe Berdorf has received more media attention and funding in recent months than almost every woman working in this industry will receive throughout her entire career."

www.ipetitions.com/petition/open-letter-to-the-bfi

Fyi, at the London event last night, someone suggested protesting this event? I'd like to see that!

It is fascinating how frequently this kind of thing is happening. Anyone would think women (biologically speaking) were so scarce now they have to rope in trans people.

Nothing quite so telling as a male dominated industry wanting to talk about participation of women having a trans person (who thinks feminism should avoid speaking about female reproductive systems) to speak on behalf of women. I take it there were no other female film makers available?

cf Shon Faye & recent Amnesty International event, 'Women Making History':

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3247297-Ok-Amnesty-International-is-straight-up-trolling-women-now

Monroe Bergdorf's recent documentary on Channel 4, 'What Makes a Woman?' dicussed on this thread:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3251002-Munroe-Bergdorf-What-Makes-a-Woman-Channel-4-16-5