JUMP CUT
A REVIEW OF CONTEMPORARY MEDIA

Women and Film
Words from our mothers

from Jump Cut, no. 29, February 1984, p. 27
copyright Jump Cut: A Review of Contemporary Media, 1984, 2005

Below is the editorial from the second issue of Women and Film published in 1972. The range of concerns expressed here still apply to the area of feminist film criticism: providing an outlet for feminist writing, establishing and maintaining distribution networks, seeing women's films (which disappear from distribution or never get distribution), opposing "supercool" intellectual analysis, recruiting Third World perspectives, and combating women's oppression actively. — The Editors

"We are encouraged by the good response we have been receiving; and regret that we cannot print all the articles submitted. They were all interesting but space is limited. We hope women will keep writing.

Women and Film, No. 2, has been delayed slightly because we are a small staff and we have had to spend much of our time establishing a workable distribution network. Also we wanted to provide adequate coverage of the recent First International Festival of Women's Films.

Although most of the criticism we have received has been helpful, some was defensive and antagonistic. A few have objected to our 'rhetoric' calling it 'shrill.' The editorial in the first issue was a position paper. Writing from the gut level should not be confused with hysteria or irrationality. Supercool intellectual analysis can be as empty, insincere, irrational and irresponsible as it is cool.

Our contributors express their concerns according to their temperaments. The cry of oppression and exploitation is not a 'shrill' complaint, it is a desperate struggle for freedom and dignity. We are not trying to add a chapter to academic film literature, we are trying to change our situation. But on the whole, response is positive, and constructive suggestions will help the magazine evolve into something better.

We welcome manuscripts on media from all beings, particularly from black and third world sisters. We hope to have our third issue out by November/December."