16/08
Het Bos
Ankerrui 5-7, Antwerp
Michelle Williams Gamaker - 'House of Women' (2017, 14’)
20:30
For the character of Kanchi in the film ‘Black Narcissus’ (1947), the actress Jean Simmons had to wear dark make-up and a jewel in her nose to become the “exotic temptress” of Rumer Godden’s novel. In 'House of Women', Kanchi is being recast, this time as a 21st century version with a voice. The film consists of an audition with first-generation British Asian women living in London. Shot on 16mm film, the candidates introduce themselves, recite a personalized alphabet with references to the history of gender politics, and read lines from a script.
Michelle Williams Gamaker on 'Peeping Tom' (1960, 101’) by Michael Powell
"When Michael Powell showed his film 'Peeping Tom' in 1960, audiences could not accept witnessing violence so directly, as Powell directly conflates the camera; a device for recording cinematic images with a killing object. The film was banned. 'Peeping Tom' documents obsessive looking, I love its honesty about the perversity of filmmaking. It remains a key inspiration for ‘House of Women’ and I find myself returning to it often."