Success for undergraduate filmmakers as 'The Female Voice' wins coveted RTS award
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A film made by Goldsmiths, University of London undergraduates Julia Dos Santos, Minji Kim and Jeanette Lee has received a major award from the Royal Television Society (RTS).
'The Female Voice', which uses contemporary and archive footage compiled entirely in-house at Goldsmiths to illustrate the literal suppression of female voices in the media and society, was the recipient of a craft award to recognise exceptional editing at the RTS London Student awards, held at ITV London on February 7th.
Dos Santos, Kim and Lee said:
"When people discuss gender inequality, they often speak about some of its very obvious manifestations such as the wage gap and the sexualization and stereotyping of women. However our film looks at a very hidden inequality that is present every single day: the physical shutting out and undermining of women's voices.
"To help men and women see and break that invisible barrier, we tried to deal with this heavy topic in a very entertaining way, by letting women speak for themselves and by illustrating the issue with archive footage and pop culture references. This brings our argument to life in a way that is colourful and meaningful without being pedantic, bitter or patronising."
The film was also highly praised in the factual awards category. The RTS commented:
"The Female Voice...was a confident and well-constructed documentary that took a fresh look at this subject at many different levels - the practical, the physiological and the political. It was a fascinating thesis, with the elegant and persuasive use of well-chosen archive material and some first-rate interviews with authoritative contributors. These ingredients were skilfully woven together to produce something interesting and informative, with a solid narrative drive and a great sense of humour throughout."
The film was recently chosen to close the Nahemi 'Eat our Shorts' festival of student films.
Tracy Bass, Senior Lecturer at the Department of Media and Communications said:
"This is a film that deserves to be seen, enjoyed and reflected upon by a wide audience - and I believe it will find that audience.
"I'm proud of our department's role in helping this exceptionally talented group of young filmmakers realise their ideas. Their success also reflects the input of our technical staff, who work tirelessly in support of our students, and the inspirational commitment of visiting industry professionals like Jerry Rothwell and Ben Unwin."
See a trailer for the film: