SO 9 Episode 07: Screen BITCHES – Introducing the TOBies (and much more!)
TOB followers know that we are obsessed with discovering positive and powerful roles for older women in movies and TV. That’s why we lure our sister Screen Bitches -- Debbie Zimmerman (Women Make Movies), Malaga Baldi (Baldi Literary Agency) and Aruna Rao (Gender at Work) – onto the podcast at least twice a year to schmooze about what we’re watching and how TV and movies challenge (or regrettably affirm) stereotypes of older women in popular media. This time, we were kind of gobsmacked. For three reasons. First, because Debbie was inducted into the Academy of Motion Pictures and Sciences (Oscars!) this year --so this episode features her firsthand account of an Academy newbie, walking the (other) red carpet. Second, because we actually found at least one film and a dramatic series with really superb portrayals of older women. If you haven’t seen Slow Horses (Apple TV) or Nyad (Netflix), stop what you’re doing right now and tune in. We thought that Annette Bening and Jodie Foster were extraordinary in the way they portrayed 60-year old Diana Nyad and her best friend Bonnie Stoll in Nyad's swim from Cuba to Florida. (Only three of us loved the movie.) And while they are not main characters, three —not one, but three!— powerful and pivotal women over 50 in Slow Horses – Sophie Okonedo, Saskia Reeves, and Kristin Scott Thomas -- epitomize characteristics you rarely see attributed to women of a certain age.
And third, we were so inspired – especially by Slow Horses – that TOB is now launching a screening tool to let movie and TV makers know we’re watching. You know how Alison Bechdel brilliantly coined The Bechdel Test as a set of three simple criteria to measure the active presence (or absence) of women in film? Well, we love that test – and appreciate the influence it’s had on generating more and better roles for women -- so we’re introducing The TOBies, a set of 5 criteria to measure the quality of presence of OLDER women in TV and film. And they are that the older women are: 1) NOT solely defined by their age; 2) integral to the plot; 3) making independent choices (e.g., they have agency); 4) NOT seeking a man as ‘the prize’; 5) there are at least two older women (e.g., no tokenism). We’d love to know what you think! And to know if you see any films or TV shows where you think the portrayals of older women meet these criteria. Wouldn’t you love to join us on Screen Bitches this year?
