Perth Film Society: Lady-Bird

PFS is proud to be contributing once again to the programme of events that makes up the annual Perth and Kinross Women’s Festival, all in celebration of International Women’s Day (#IWD2020) on 8 March 2020.

This year’s theme is that an equal world is an enabled world (#EachforEqual). Individually, we're all responsible for our own thoughts and actions, but collectively, we can help create a gender equal world by challenging stereotypes, confronting bias, broadening perceptions and celebrating women's achievements.

To fit that theme, our film choice is “Lady Bird” - Greta Gerwig’s directorial debut. It is a coming-of-age comedy drama set in Sacramento, California. Christine McPherson (Saoirse Ronan), a senior at a Catholic high school, insists that she be called by her “given” name of Lady Bird.

Lady Bird is an affecting look at the relationships that shape us, the beliefs that define us, and the unmatched beauty of a place called homeShe is bored at school and, ignoring her family's money worries, wants to attend a prestigious east coast college. Lady Bird has a crush on classmate Danny and disappoints her mother Marion (Laurie Metcalf) by spending her last Thanksgiving before graduation with his wealthy family not her own.

This, plus the continual arguments about college, strain her relationship with her mother and the film’s key preoccupation is that turbulent bond. Marion’s blunt pragmatism head-butts Lady Bird’s teenage romance of moving to the big city ‘where culture is’.

The mother and daughter scenes are electric but also humorous - Gerwig maps their inability to communicate with excruciating accuracy and truth. Gradually though, Lady Bird is revealed to be just like her wildly loving, deeply opinionated and strong-willed mother, who works tirelessly to keep her family afloat.

Ultimately, using the maxim of ‘be careful what you wish for’, “Lady Bird” is an affecting look at the relationships that shape us, the beliefs that define us, and the unmatched beauty of a place called home.

In “Lady Bird” Gerwig reveals herself to be a bold new cinematic voice. Using pacing, vividly drawn characters, an eye for period detail and an acute sense of American class anxiety, she presents us with a magical portrait of adolescence.

This marks her as a keen observer of the small things that make a good movie great, which makes it unsurprising that amongst 120 wins and 223 nominations in 2018, including Oscar nominations, “Lady Bird” won:

• Golden Globe awards for Best Motion Picture (Musical or Comedy) and Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture (Musical or Comedy);
• AFI award for Movie of the Year;
• Alliance of Women Film Journalists award for Best Supporting Actress; and
• EDA Female Focus Award for Best Woman Director and Best Woman Screenwriter.

Tickets £6 (£5 for the usual concessions) from Horsecross box offices

10 March 2020 - Joan Knight Studio, Perth Theatre

A worthy choice to celebrate the Perth and Kinross Women’s Festival and International Women’s Day 2020!

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Official Trailer