Beyond Bechdel

A Bit Beyond about three amazing women - Meghan, Tayari and Cate. Meghan Markle's feminist page: https://www.royal.uk/duchess-sussex Tayari Jones on Death, Sex & Money: https://www.wnycstudios.org/story/death-sex-money-tayari-jones/ Cate Blanchett at Cannes :https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/cannes-2018-cate-blanchett-gender-equality-speech-watch-women-march-times-up-a8350521.html

SPOILERS IN THIS EPISODE You can pass the Turing Test, but can you pass the Bechdel Test? That's sort of the question asked by Nick and Contrarah as they take a deep dive into #Westworld. Both a TV show and a theme park that would be nothing without its female characters. We explore the journey to consciousness experienced by leads Maeve and Dolores and get into how their differing paths act as pointers to how to the escape from the televisual patriarchy. Come as a guest and go Beyond the Bechdel test...

This is the first 'Bit Beyond' just a little snapshot of life beyond the Bechdel test. - More on Gretchen Rubin: https://gretchenrubin.com/ - Infinity War music: https://www.youtube.com/user/marvelVEVO/videos - More on Lisa Joy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTAxMzvSBgE Please rate and review and spread the joy!

In 2018 Frances Mcdormand used her Oscar-win speech to talk about **Inclusion Riders** ...and was met with silence from the bewildered Oscar crowd. But the ripples made by those two words turned to waves across Hollywood and beyond. Contrarah agrees that it's about time that the law is used to help women get the jobs and exposure that they deserve, so she enlists Lawyer Nicci Morris to talk through how the law is changing to ensure fair representation behind and in front of the camera. Follow us on twitter @Beyond_Bechdel or on email @ beyondbech@gmail.com and let's all get some perspective!

Following on from Part 1, in this episode we discuss the role of sex in games (oh yeah) including GamerGate (oh no) and the possibility of well-drawn female characters that are sexy AND have opinions, values and their own plots. Then we move onto storytelling, especially one girl's beautiful story arc (you'll laugh, you'll cry, you may fall in love with another girl, you'll definitely shoot zombies). Finally, we make it to a post-gender gaming experience with one stunning and very difficult title. Featured games: The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt The Last of Us Bloodborne Remember: we are feminist game hunters and feminist game hunters must hunt! Come tell us your gaming stories: on twitter @Beyond_Bechdel or on email beyondbech@gmail.com

SHOCK: Girls like gaming! Especially games with girls in charge. And finally the gaming industry is catching up with the players. In Part 1 we chart the progress in RPGs from a focus on banging bodies to a focus on character and plot. What took developers so long? Featured games: Tomb Raider 1 and 2 Rise of the Tomb Raider Resident Evil Resident Evil 4 Resident Evil: Biohazard Uncharted 1-4 Uncharted: The Lost Legacy Come back for Part 2 soon and come say hi to us at beyondbech@gmail.com or on twitter @Beyond_Bechdel Remember to subscribe, rate and review....and don't be a Jill sandwich! :-)

Lady Macbeth (writer: Alice Birch, director: William Oldroyd) stole our hearts, and she's capable of a lot more. This episode focuses on why this film resonates so much with women and what it says about feminism, given that it barely passes the Bechdel test. How amazing is Florence Pugh's accent?! And we'd like to give a quick apology to Amy Jump.... Bafta interview with Alice Birch can be found here: http://guru.bafta.org/lady-macbeth-telling-stories-guru-live More on Becky Matthews here: https://www.becky-matthews.com/ Remember, if you don't listen...through hell and high water, we'll follow you...

Becky Matthews made a film. It's called Double Word Score. But she didn't just make a film. She did so much more. Becky had an idea, took control of her creative career and then made it happen. She tells us how she did it. This episode is about living your cinematic dreams and...the importance of making film friendships. Watch Double Word Score here: http://www.theopendoorshowcase.com/Double_Word_Score.html Follow Becky here: https://www.becky-matthews.com/ and here: https://twitter.com/bec_bebop Come say hi to us at beyondbech@gmail.com or on twitter @Beyond_Bechdel And yes Agnes Varda has been nominated for an Oscar for Visages Villages. She's 89.

The three films with the biggest US domestic box office success in 2017 all shared something not seen perhaps ever before: multiple female protagonists (and a female director just for good measure)... This has to be a good thing for women on film, right? Contrarah and Nick deep dive into: 1) The Last Jedi 2) Beauty and the Beast 3) Wonder Woman to determine whether cinema is turning a corner. Hold(o) on to your Phasmas because this is going to be a thrilling ride... Want to talk? Email us at beyondbech@gmail.com or tweet to twitter.com/Beyond_Bechdel

What connects Borgen, Christopher Hitchens, Ainsley Hayes, Busanhaeng and Jo Brand? NOTHING...except that they're all covered in this conversation between Contrarah and Susan Hansen. Spanning continents, race, gender and more, what could be a depressing conversation about discrimination is actually a life-affirming chat about role models. Susan can be found at twitter.com/susanhansen3 and www.itsallindie.com/ Want to talk? Email us at beyondbech@gmail.com or tweet to twitter.com/Beyond_Bechdel

Welcome to the twilight zone - this is not a drill - men and(black, blonde or promiscuous)women are dying! This is Part 2 of a two-parter (Please SUBSCRIBE and go back to listen to Part 1 first) devoted to the creepiest of genres. We start by researching where the Final Girl trope came from and the good and (mostly) bad things that it says about male filmmakers and female horror stars. Then we discuss how Scream changed the horror landscape for the better and whether failing the Bechdel Test might be ok if you're Clarice Starling or Annie Wilkes, plus there's good news in the shape of It Follows. Want to talk? Don't be scared! Email us at beyondbech@gmail.com or tweet to twitter.com/Beyond_Bechdel

Happy New Year! This is Part 1 of a two-parter (Please SUBSCRIBE so you can be ready for Part 2) devoted to the creepiest of genres. Yeah, it's hardly timely(unless you're listening on 31st October)but the relationship between women and horror movies is a perennial puzzle. Listen as Nick comes up with a clever theory on the real meaning of Rosemary's Baby, and join us to discuss why women rule against the BIG BAD! Want to talk? Email us at beyondbech@gmail.com or tweet to twitter.com/Beyond_Bechdel And don't even think about having sex while listening...

After getting all excited over crouching tigers and hidden dragons, Hollywood largely ignored girl-on-girl action films (the ones where they get to use samurai swords, kung fu and uzis) for almost 15 years. And then, suddenly, CHARLIZE THERON and GAL GADOT BROUGHT THE GOODS! Katie Smith-Wong talks about atomic blondes and brunettes on the fury road carrying immortal blades. We also ask how to capitalise on this new breed of female action hero and we get into strength and gender roles. But mostly we train 5 times, 10 times harder than we've ever trained before. Recorded at the London Film Festival, get in touch: with Katie at https://twitter.com/Guitargalchina with us at @beyondbech@gmail.com and @Beyond_Bechdel Let's get less furious, more Furiosa.

VERNA FIELDS! May we never forget her name. We're joined on this episode by https://twitter.com/Paulyne_A to talk about the perils and perks of being a woman in the film industry...and after reminiscing about working girls and American psychos we invent the Reverse Bechdel Test. Want to talk? Email us at beyondbech@gmail.com or tweet to https://twitter.com/Beyond_Bechdel Remember ladies, you're in a league of your own.

Welcome! Women make up half of the world, but appear in films only one third of the time. That's a little weird, right? This podcast series asks how we improve representation on screen. One way is by using the Bechdel-Wallace Test. Find out what this is and how to use it by listening to the history in this inaugural episode. In this series we'll look at new and beloved films and TV shows, and ask experts for their thoughts. We also debate modern representation on screen(and behind the scenes)touching on other ares of discrimination, like race, sexuality and disability. Let's move Beyond Bechdel and make the world a better place. Have thoughts? - Subscribe to the podcast - Email us at beyondbech@gmail.com - tweet to https://twitter.com/Beyond_Bechdel - read https://beyondbechdelsite.wordpress.com/blog/ We all deserve our time in the sun. Come have your voice heard.