Women, a majority minority

Throughout the months that elapse between one edition and the next, we read texts, sentences and comments by authors and journalists who always challenge us... They inspire us to write... this editorial. Here are some quotes that should be engraved with a chisel on stone:

- "For most of history, "Anonymous" was a woman." This sentence by Virginia Woolf, as heartbreaking as accurate, underlines the festival’s role: not only to pull many authors who are on the margins out of anonymity, but also to bring to Spain excellent feature films from distant or little-known cinematographies that otherwise would not be seen or would take a long time to be seen in Madrid. In this edition, we have 74 films by 73 female directors from 27 countries.

- Max Frisch, the Swiss writer, said in his first meeting with the Austrian poet Ingeborg Bachmann: "Men do not know women, so it is important that they represent themselves." Until a few years ago, most women's lives were narrated from the masculine and androcentric point of view. Moreover, critics and historians have ignored, if not erased, the creative work of one half of humanity. For this reason, our contribution consists of showing feature films whose female directors tell stories with diverse, complex, multifaceted and, why not, contradictory protagonists, films that alter the stories and break the usual stereotypes.

- "A woman is transformed when she discovers that she has a story," says Gerda Lerner, historian and feminist pioneer, of Austrian origin, who understood Women's History as a political position and knew how to link her work with that of previous generations of women, rescuing and designing a female genealogy.

- In a bolder tone, the journalist and writer Ángeles Caso, echoes this idea: "I know well how anxious we all are to discover that we do not come from an amorphous and grey mass of women who spent their lives delivering babies and taking care of the household ". It is obvious that if there had not been women to give birth and taking care of the household, humanity would not exist as such, and we would not be here. But it is also true that knowing references from female artists and creators before us, who have made history, helps us to grow.

We dedicate this text and this edition of this festival to all of them, which, in addition to show excellent feature films, will also allow us to publicize in Spain other fascinating initiatives such as the website "Calliope. Join the Dots", an ambitious programme from the Austrian Ministry of European and International Affairs, which highlights the figure of inspiring women in today's Austrian society. It is interesting to know that it is based on an earlier government programme through which they have rewritten the history of Austria over the last 200 years in a parity key, through the biographies of outstanding women. We have organised a round table at the Espacio Fundación Telefónica on October 31st, where this project will be presented as part of the Focus Austria programme, the guest country in this edition, where we will introduce its vibrant film industry in which more and more professional women are making their way. Don't miss it!

Meanwhile, comments, court rulings, gestures return; recurrent and incessant, by a conservative society that does not tolerate any type of change or dissidence threatening traditional values, that alert us, put us on the defensive and reaffirm us in the need to continue with this Festival. Because cinema, series, television, the media, social networks and algorithms, which reach millions of people every day, propose role models and give visibility to certain stereotypes different than others. That is why, with this project, supported by our collaborating entities and venues, by the sponsors, by the directors and by the public, our partners, we try to offer a different and diverse story to an audience of different ages and backgrounds. Long live the difference! Enjoy the festival!

Carlota Álvarez Basso and Diego Mas Trelles

Directors of the Madrid Films by Women Festival

September 2024