LOCAL Houston | The City Guide MARCH 2015 | Page 34

Local March 2015FINAL.qxp_002houston 2/21/15 3:42 PM Page 34

GISH AT THE MOVIES

CELEBRATING WOMEN IN FILM

By Sarah Gish

Diane Ladd

Donna Cole

Alicia Goodrow

Eden Brolin

Deborah Kainer

March 8 is “International Women’s Day,” an
annual celebration that started in the early
1900s, so I thought it would be appropriate to
focus on a trio of Houston women who are making a difference in the way females are portrayed onscreen. In a nice coincidence, we have
a chance to catch pioneering dame de la screen
Lillian Gish (a distant relative of mine!) at 14
Pews (www.14pews.org) on Friday, March 13,
and Saturday, March 14, in “The Wind”
(1928). Very unusual for the time, Gish carried
that film as the lead – amazingly, stats aren’t
much better for women today. According to
www.therepresentationproject.org, less than 25% of films
made each year feature a female protagonist.
It was this fact that motivated Donna Cole,
Deborah Kainer and Alicia Goodrow to launch
the Pantheon of Women (www.pantheonofwomen.com)
in 2013. All three women are accomplished,
strong leaders and mentors with a personal and
professional interest in women’s empowerment so
it was their goal to create a company that produces and presents film and television that
change the way women are perceived by men
and the way women perceive themselves.
They’ve already begun to make waves: Their first
film, I Dream Too Much, will premiere at the
SXSW Film Festival in Austin this month (screening date tba at press time). Founder Alicia

Goodrow told me, “That lovely film was written
and directed by Houston native Katie Cokinos
and tells the story of three generations of
women unlocking their dreams and finding new
paths. Diane Ladd, Eden Brolin and Danielle
Brooks play their roles with richness and integrity. There are very few ‘coming of age’ stories
about women – and fewer still where relationships with family and friends pave the way for
growth.”
I asked Goodrow about the importance of
women in film and she told me, “Women are
keepers of the important stories in every culture
so when women are given the opportunity to
shape a narrative from behind the camera or
on the screen, the story changes. Relationships
become supportive instead of combative and
opportunities for women to shine as unique
individuals emerge.”
POW’s next project is a historical film written by
my buddy and fab, Austin-based writer Sarah
Bird about a woman who served with the
Buffalo Soldiers. I look forward to many more
female-driven films from this Pantheon of
Women!

Lillian Gish

WANT TO SEE MORE ART FILMS?
CHECK OUT THESE VENUES

• 14 Pews
• Alamo Drafthouse
• Asia Society
• Aurora Picture Show
• Blaffer Art Museum
• Café Brasil
• Contemporary Arts Museum
• Discovery Green
• DiverseWorks
• Holocaust Museum
• Jewish Community Center
• Landmark River Oaks Theatre
• Miller Outdoor Theatre
• Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
• Orange Show
• Rice Cinema
• Sundance Cinemas

Sarah Gish is an artist, mama, igniter and connector who has been writing for Local magazine since 1998. She was one of the co-founders of Q-Fest, Houston’s only LGBT festival, and was the
publicist and city manager for Landmark Theatres in the 1990s, overseeing the River Oaks, Greenway and Saks movie theatres. She owns Gish Creative (www.gishcreative.com), a personal, family
and business enrichment company that she founded in 2000. It’s her joy to bring the love of movies to Houstonians and to let people know about all the amazing arts and culture in Houston.

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