The Year in Review

What a year 2018 was for us at Femfilmfans. We launched our site, wrote lots of great content, interviewed some fabulous filmmakers and grew our Femfilmfam. We really can’t thank you enough for all your love and support this past year!

​​Below you will read our Three Fs for 2018 

Fem: a feminist highlight from 2018

Film: a film or show we recommend

​Fans: what we became a fan of in 2018

Christina
Fem: My feminist highlight of 2018 was without a doubt Remake. Frankfurter Frauen Film Tage this past November. I met so many amazing women, watched inspiring feminist films, learned an incredible amount about the women’s movement all over the world, and so much more.  
Film: They by Iranian filmmaker Anahita Ghazvinizadeh. I watched it at the Berlin Feminist Film Week and it made a lasting impression on me. The film focuses on a gender non-conforming teen, raising awareness for this overlooked demographic. I also found Ghazvinizadeh’s camerawork incredibly skilled. They is a film I highly recommend to all our FemfilmFans (read my review of the film here). 
Fans: I’m going to cheat and list two things...1) I became a huge fan of the Netflix show One Day At a Time, a recommendation from our very own Lissy (read her review of the show here); 2) I fell in love with Hannah Gadsby this year, therefore I want everyone to watch at the very least Hannah Gadsby’s special Nanette (read Christian Berger’s review here) so they can become her fans, too.

(left) Poster for Remake. Frankfurter Frauen Film Tage; (center) Film poster for They; (top right) Title screen for One Day At a Time; (bottom right) Promo poster for Hannah Gadsby's Netflix special Nanette

Marina
Fem: My feminist highlight of 2018 was interviewing filmmaker Natalie MacMahon. Natalie is a director, actress and festival founder all in one person! I was impressed by her work quantity and quality and I am looking forward to meeting her again next year when the first edition of the Female Filmmakers Festival Berlin kicks off in June 2019. I am sure the festival will be a great opportunity for female filmmakers to connect with and support each other. 
Film: Admittedly, I am a huge fan of the 80s, especially its music. So Netflix show GLOW, set in the 80s. had an easy time winning me over. I love the female cast with its original and unique characters, the complex story of emancipation and the struggles with patriarchy in show biz. And guess what? The music is great as well (read my review of the show here).
Fans: I became an even bigger fan of all women in film and TV. I am now paying more attention to the “hard facts” of film production. How’s the cast set up? How many women participate in the production of a film? And I am amazed by the amount of talented women worldwide who are no longer waiting for their opportunities in the film business but taking action. 

Natalie MacMahon; (top right) Poster for the Female Filmmakers Festival Berlin; (bottom right) Promo Poster for GLOW on Netlix

Lissy
Fem: Like Christina and the rest of the world, I was awed by Hannah Gadsby’s Netflix special Nanette and it was definitely one of the most important feminist moments in 2018 for me. Gadsby not only managed to redefine stand-up comedy and call out the abundance of toxicity in the genre and in art in general, but also managed to make everyone cry, laugh and feel amazed by this strong, humble and incredibly intelligent woman. Her show is a philosophical manifesto and a poetic piece of art that should belong to the feminist canon. 
Film: Since I love television shows, I want to point out my favorite one from this past year: Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. This is a show that is very hard to define as “just” a comedy. It uses the trope of a rom com, but puts the genre on its head by bringing in complex issues and different female perspectives. It’s still hilarious and the musical numbers are so much fun even if you typically do not care for musicals. I can’t wait to watch the fourth and final season - it will be available on Netflix soon. You can read my review of the first three seasons here.
Fans: This year, I became a huge fan of Awkwafina after seeing her on screen in Crazy Rich Asians. Not only is she incredibly funny and talented, but her performance was so unique that she really stood out to me when watching the extraordinary cast of Crazy Rich Asians. Also, she is a fantastic rapper and I encourage everyone to check her out on Spotify.​​

(left) Fan art by Sogayjen with a quote from Hannah Gadsby's Nanette; Promo poster for Crazy Ex-Girlfriend starring Rachel Bloom; Awkwafina as Peik Lin in Crazy Rich Asians 

Before we sign off, we want to sincerely thank everyone who helped, supported and encouraged us this past year. We hope to bring you many great things in 2019 and want to wish our Femfilmfam an empowered, enlightened and femtastic New Year! 

And before you sign off, don't forget to like this post, leave us a comment with your favorites of 2018 and share the post with your loved ones. If you don't already, you can also like us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram or send us an email with your suggestions, film event information, ideas for collaborations with us or whatever else floats your boat! Just click on the social media icons below.