Femininity has long been defined by how successfully a woman fits into the idea of the word feminine. Delicate, soft. In music, a feminine cadence has a weak beat. Women on the Verge presents five films directed by women, that challenge gender norms, and liberate their female protagonists by putting them on the edge of (or obliterating) the world that has defined them as "good girls".
WINNER: Best Cinematography - Christopher Rejano - Tacoma Film Festival 2019
"This is a feminist work, with an intersectional interest in its non-white and non-hetero characters. The results are a luminous, dreamy panorama of a patriarchal nation still coming to terms with itself as it sings the same old tunes." - Anton Bitel, Projected Figures
"Reeder has artfully packed so many themes and issues into the film, that multiple viewings are required to fully catch everything that she is commenting on, and you know what? I look forward to it." - Lisa Fremont, Haddonfield Horror
"Knives and Skin is veritably a valentine to David Lynch's Twin Peaks." - Joseph Perry, Scariest Things
"An offbeat coming of age thriller steeped in macabre humor and queer feminist attitude." - Hollywood Reporter
Knives and Skin follows the investigation of a young girl's disappearance in a stylized version of a rural Midwest town that hovers just above reality, led by an inexperienced local sheriff. Unusual coping techniques develop among the traumatized small-town residents with each new secret revealed. The ripple of fear and suspicion destroys some relationships and strengthens others. The backdrop of trauma colors quintessential rituals - classrooms, dances, courtship, football games - in which the teenagers experience an accelerated loss of innocence while their parents are forced to confront adulthood failures. This mystical teen noir presents coming of age as a lifelong process and examines the profound impact of grief.
Now in its third year, FilmScene's Reel Representation has evolved from Women's March to become a year-round program that celebrates local, national and international female and gender non-binary artists. Reel Representation showcases new releases and film series from, special events with, and dialogues about this underrepresented perspective in the industry.