Dear Readers, Welcome to our Women’s History Month newsletter! The acceptance and support of femininity in all of its varied forms is what we’d like to celebrate in this newsletter, as we round up some of our favourite female directors, podcasters and authors. Don’t miss out on our most recent publications, where we feature a diverse range of works by female creatives – from designers, writers, artists and more! Happy reading xx |
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'CELLUSION' MONA CORDES AW22 By Isabela Palancean MONA CORDES debuted her new AW22 collection ‘CELLUSION’ at Southwark Platform on an immersive set, which the German-born, London-based designer built herself partly from collected and found objects. | | |
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Joan Didion's 'Play It As It Lays': A Meditation on Nothingness By Juna Kim Joan Didion's 'Play It As It Lays' paints a lucid vision of Californian life in the 1960s. The novel chronicles actress Maria Wyeth and her descent into madness, her disillusionment with Hollywood, and the Dionysian energies that permeate it. | | |
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I Am Not a Pina Colada By Nila Varman "When I consider my experiences on dating apps and film depictions of those from minority ethnic communities, a common theme is that brown women are simultaneously fetishized and rejected. South Asian women’s identity is hypersexualised and othered, while they are also put down by their own community for expressing their sexuality." | | |
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Bree Runway At Electric Brixton: Not Just A Pop-Star, But A Pop-Supernova By Talia Andrea Since the release of her debut mixtape 2000AND4EVA in 2020, Bree Runway’s career has only ever been on the up. In her live show on the 14th of March, Bree owned unparalleled stage presence, accompanied by four backup dancers that brought energy to the set with their non-stop choreography. | | |
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Strand Magazine Women's Day Photoshoot |
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On March 8th, Strand Magazine's photography team welcomed those on social media and on Strand campus to have their portrait taken. We wanted to give the King’s community (and strangers) an opportunity to celebrate their friends and family on international women’s day. Our female photographers took turns taking solo and group portraits of people passing by, and gave out roses to those who came to sit. Thank you to everyone who came by either for a portrait or for a chat, and we hope that the sunny afternoon made your day! |
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"Women’s bodies have historically occupied very little space in public (aside from being used to sell). This photoshoot was there to give women a presence in public merely for the fact of their existence with no expectations. Women don’t have to have achieved something to be seen or celebrated, their existence in and of itself is enough." — Ana Oancea |
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Female Directors on MUBI Film recommendations by Greta Fazzi Here's our selection of female-directed movies that you can watch on Mubi. KCL students can get a 30-day free trial following this link! |
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Kelly Reichardt's Old Joy is the story of two friends who reunite for a camping trip. As most of Reichardt’s movies, nature and minimalism are protagonists, while the main characters of her slow cinema are, as the director herself said “glimpses of people passing through". |
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First Cow, also directed by Kelly Reichardt, is a movie about a cook and a Chinese immigrant who team up to steal the milk of the only cow in their territory. Nature is shot beautifully, while male friendship is depicted gently and amazingly acted. |
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Céline Sciamma's latest feature Petite Maman is a beautifully shot, tender depiction of the relationship between mothers and daughters. An 8-year-old girl is helping her parents empty her deceased grandmother’s house. One day, she wakes up and her mother is gone, however, her presence is replaced by a new friend. |
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Don’t miss Emma Seligman’s first feature Shiva Baby, a black comedy that won’t let you down. Danielle (Rachel Sennott) finds herself in awkward situations while meeting her sugar daddy and ex-girlfriend at a Shiva, a Jewish funeral service. |
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Here are our top 3 picks of women-led podcasts for you to listen to this month. Listen to learn about science, dating, and your mind with these lovely ladies and let the strong feminine energy affect you too. Podcast recommendations by Charlotte Massiah |
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Women in Literature Book recommendations by Juna Kim & Odelia Glausiusz |
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At this time of year, my mind always turns to one of my all-time favourite books: Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women. I read it countless times growing up, and still turn to it today when I’m in need of comfort. I think one reason this classic is so loved by so many is because of its celebration of four very different women. Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy each have different tastes, different desires, different dreams. Each of these characters was so real to me, and spoke to me in their own unique way. I identified with Meg’s love of nice clothes, Jo’s ability to get lost in a book for hours, Beth’s shyness and Amy’s habit of mispronouncing long words and saying them in the wrong places. Alcott allows girls to see themselves, their struggles, and their dreams in these characters - whether they want to be a famous author, or dream of marriage and children; whether they want a quiet life caring for others, or to throw themselves into the world as an artist. Alcott’s message is that each is a valid and beautiful option. The sisters often rub up against each other, but a strong undercurrent of love suffuses the book. They support each other through the highs and lows of adolescence, through grief and happiness alike. |
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'Veronica' by Mary Gaitskill Set in Paris and Manhattan during the 1980s, Veronica depicts an unlikely friendship between Alison, a young model, and Veronica, an older woman dying of AIDS. Moving from past to present, Gaitskill masterfully dissects human fragility, the relationship between time and memory, and love's abiding power. |
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'Everything Here Is Beautiful' by Mira T. Lee Everything Here Is Beautiful is about the unbreakable bond between two sisters — Lucia, the younger one, who is afflicted with schizophrenia and Miranda, the older one, desperate to save her younger sister. Lee's impressive debut is mesmerizing in its depiction of a young woman's quest to find fulfilment and a life unconstrained by her illness. |
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