Tuesday, May 15, 2018 at 7:30pm
Marziyeh Meshkini's The Day I Became a Woman
155 Freeman Street, Brooklyn
Introduced by Eliza Hittman
The Day I Became a Woman, Marziyeh Meshkini, 2000, digital projection, 78 mins
The Day I Became a Woman is comprised of three separate portraits of Iranian women at pivotal stages of transition and transformation, interconnected not through plot but through the theme of female freedom. Set on the small island of Kish, each study is named after its central character. “Hava” begins on the morning of a young girl’s ninth birthday, where she learns that, come noon, she will no longer be permitted to see her best friend Hassan because he is a boy. “Ahoo” concerns a woman trying to compete in a bicycle race against her husband’s wishes, as he, not far behind on horseback, tries to stop her, a farcical episode that slowly turns to dread. “Hoora” revolves around an old woman who, after living a lifetime of poverty, receives an inheritance and tries to buy every appliance she’s never owned, even though she has no place or use for them.
Political, allegorical, minimalist, and comically surreal, the movie is a blend of many genres while remaining grounded in emotional credibility. It’s unique to see a film that is a direct commentary about women’s experiences imagined on such an intimate and elegant scale, that humanizes and celebrates small personal acts of rebellion. Although nearly two decades old, as an exploration of women’s desires it still feels relevant and essential.
- EH
Eliza Hittman is a filmmaker from Flatbush, Brooklyn. Her debut feature film, It Felt Like Love, was nominated for the Bingham Ray Breakthrough Director IFP Gotham Award and two Film Independent Spirit Awards. Her second feature, Beach Rats, won Best Director Award at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival and was nominated for two Film Independent Spirit Awards.
Tickets - $8, available at door.
Please note: seating is limited. First-come, first-served. Box office opens at 7pm.