Overview

It would be difficult to overestimate the importance, originality, and success of current Polish female directors, whose bold, vivid features have taken the film industry by storm. Film's Feisty Femmes spotlights nine of the most productive, internationally acclaimed women in a profession traditionally dominated by men but characterized in 21st-century Poland by receptivity to creative talent regardless of gender. With the transition to a market economy, institutional innovations appreciably transformed the country's filmmaking-a transformation of which audiences are the primary beneficiaries. The volume's seven chapters combine textual analysis with assessment of camerawork, situating each director's major works in a cultural context that includes significant developments in Poland as well as international trends in cinema and gender politics. A major issue addressed throughout entails the directors' relationship to feminism in narratives that are unapologetically gynocentric.

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Reviews

“Scholars have been noting for some time the growing number of female auteurs in the Polish production space. Helena Goscilo and Vincent Albarano now treat us to an account of their distinctive styles, thematic approaches, and industry strategies. They make an excellent team: as a leading expert on both Polish cinema and women's creative practices in Eastern Europe more globally, Goscilo writes from a place of deep, embedded knowledge, while Albarano, a specialist of genre cinema, contributes sparkling close readings of individual works. The result is a meticulously researched yet highly engaging take on one of the most important developments in Eastern European cinema today.” —Masha Shpolberg, Assistant Professor, Bard College “Helena Goscilo’s witty, erudite, and impeccably researched book explores a vital new phenomenon in contemporary Polish cinema: the emergence of an extraordinarily talented cohort of female film directors whose domestic and international productions have come to define today’s Polish filmmaking. Her composite portrait of these “feisty femmes” and their remarkable output will be an invaluable guide for scholars, students, and cinephiles interested in delving into Poland’s cinematic landscape.” —Łukasz Wodzyński, Assistant Professor of Polish, University of Wisconsin-Madison ""Film’s Feisty Femmes is a groundbreaking and timely exploration of the evolving landscape of Polish cinema through the lens of its female directors. By examining the works of nine filmmakers, the monograph sheds light on the unique artistic voices that have shaped contemporary Polish film while situating them within broader cinematic and cultural contexts. The book’s feminist perspective enriches its textual analysis, offering readers an in-depth understanding of the directors’ storytelling techniques, thematic concerns, and visual styles. By engaging with the reception of these films—both domestically and internationally—the study underscores the significance of women’s contributions to Poland’s flourishing film industry and highlights the shifting dynamics of gender representation in European cinema at large. What makes this work particularly pioneering is its commitment to accessibility and its recognition of the growing global interest in Polish film. By catering to anglophone scholars, students, and cinephiles, the monograph expands the reach of these directors’ achievements, aligning with the increased visibility of Polish films on major streaming platforms, such as Netflix. Furthermore, the study situates the rise of female directors within the broader transformation of Poland’s film industry, which has benefited from institutional support and international collaborations. Film’s Feisty Femmes not only celebrates the artistic innovation of these directors but also contributes to an ongoing, vital conversation about gender, power, and creative expression in contemporary cinema."" —Elena Prokhorova and Alexander Prokhorov

Author Information

After an invaluable early education at a grammar school in Rugby, England, Helena Goscilo received her BA from Queens College (NY) and her PhD from Indiana University (Bloomington). She chaired the Slavic Department at the University of Pittsburgh and at Ohio State University while publishing over twenty volumes. During the last few years, she has focused on Polish film. Vincent Albarano is an Ohio-based independent writer and researcher focusing on underground and genre cinema. He received his MA in Film Studies from The Ohio State University in 2022. His first book, Aesthetic Deviations: A Critical View of American Shot-on-Video Horror, 1984-1994, was published by Headpress in 2023.

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