Women, voice and the Oscar for Best Picture

Women's lack of voice in feature films does not stop them from winning the Oscar for best picture. There are numerous examples of feature films that fail the Bechdel test (a test that serves as an indicator of the active presence of women in movies) winning this coveted prize (e.g. Braveheart, 1995, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, 2003). In Braveheart women speak in a few scenes but never about something besides a man so it fails the Bechdel test on the second criterion. In The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King ​no two women ever speak so it, too, fails the test. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) likely uses criteria to determine the winner of the best picture but women's voice and presence does not appear to be one of them. In both Braveheart and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King the two lead females are love interests. Apparently, it is enough for AMPAS to have women play the objects of men's attention. Having them speak--especially to each other--is rather secondary.

© 2018 Alline Cormier