Great Movies
To celebrate Women’s History Month, CherryPicks and Cinema Femme have teamed up to bring together a group of leading critics from the nation’s top outlets to discuss the importance of reviews by womxn. Tasha Robinson (Polygon) will moderate the panel, alongside critics Claudia Puig (President, LA Film Critics Association, KPCC), Inkoo Kang (The Hollywood Reporter), Aramide Tinubu (Essence & Indiewire) and Kathia Woods (Cup of Soul, AAFCA). The conversation will take place at 7:30pm ET tomorrow evening, March 11th, and center on female film critics in our current era, while exploring how the pandemic has affected the demand for and focus on their work. Has criticism changed during the pandemic? Is there a “female gaze” for criticism? Are women critics having an effect on popular culture and in the field of criticism itself? Are there areas in criticism that women are uniquely positioned to address? And could the same be said for the male perspective?
Since our inception in March 2018, TheCherryPicks.com has strived to elevate diverse and underrepresented voices by celebrating female filmmakers and actors in TV and film. We acknowledged the need for a space where womxn can read reviews from a female point of view, and the site has progressively built an audience and attracted more female critic participants. We have partnered with key film festivals such as SXSW, Savannah and Bentonville international film fests to highlight the filmmakers showcased, both editorially and in social media. CherryPicks also launched the IG Live series CherryChat last year to provide relevant programming amid the pandemic as we saw our audience increasingly crave fun, aspirational and authentic content. CherryChat has interviewed an array of actors, spanning several levels of experience and stardom.
Also, CherryPop, an original podcast, was launched to explore the representation of sexuality, intimacy, and beauty that has culturally impacted womxn of all ages and gender expressions. The podcast will premiere a second season in April 2021. As an organization seeking to make positive changes in our world, we have partnered with influential organizations to help disseminate and celebrate our success, including NYWIFT, Women’s Voices, UConn, and Women In Media.
"Cinema Femme is a platform for emerging female-identifying and non-binary filmmakers," said Rebecca Martin, founder/publisher of Cinema Femme. "To support these filmmakers, we showcase their short films, provide education through features with womxn and non-binary in film, and offer mentorship between seasoned and emerging filmmakers. We are vocal about the need for women, women of color and LGBTQ representation onscreen and behind the lens. We believe that together we can change the industry for the better, and we are excited to be partnering with CherryPicks to elevate these essential voices. We also thank Camera Ambassador, a female-owned full-service rental house based in Chicago, who is our media partner for this special event."
As the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements are encouraging change in the filmmaking industry, an increasing number of avenues that give womxn space to thrive and succeed are embracing an array of voices. Thus, our cultural significance and power increases as well. As we grow, our audience grows. As the appetite for female content is increasingly in demand, we are thrilled and honored to serve it.
