STACK June 2017 Issue 152

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28 JUNE 2017
visit DVD&BD FEATURE
H idden Figures
tells the
incredible
true story of three
African-American women
– Dorothy Vaughan (Octavia
Spencer), Mary Jackson (Janelle
Monae), and Katherine G. Johnson
(Taraji P. Henderson) – who
rocketed the campaign for equality
in America to new heights.
These NASA mathematicians
proved vital in the space race
against the Soviet Union, crossing
gender lines while at the same
time propelling their nation beyond
the stratosphere. Remarkable
achievements aside, what director
Theodore Melfi found so amazing
about this story was that he
had no idea these women even
existed.
“I didn’t know that women were
involved in the space program
at all,” he confesses. “I’ve never
seen that on TV or in a movie, or
in an archive or a book. I’ve never
seen that anywhere. To find out
that there were women
in the space program was
shocking to me, and to find
out that there were black
women was even more
bewildering. The fact that
there were a group of black
mathematicians who helped
get John Glenn into space
is awesome, and how
we don’t know that is
bizarre.”
Melfi believes that
the success of Hidden Figures
will reinforce the importance of
women’s involvement in other
STEM (Science, Technology,
Engineering and Math)
endeavours, and lead to further
films on the subject.
“Dr. Stacy Smith at the USC
Annenberg School of Media
did a study on this very thing,
on women in film,” says Melfi.
“They studied 290 films over the
last couple of years and of those
290 films, not one single African-
American woman was in a role in
STEM as an actor. Not one.”
He also sees this as setting
a poor example for future
generations. ”We are not
showing our children,
actors, women, men,
that that’s possible.
We’re showing them
the opposite. Women are playing
girlfriends and wives and we’re
not getting to see women doing
what they do every day. They’re
in math, science and engineering
and I’m hoping that the movie is
a bugle call to that. You have done
everything in the past and you can
do everything in the future.”
Aside from inspiring younger
generations, Melfi is optimistic
that Hidden Figures will resonate
with women everywhere, of every
age and race. “I hope the movie
is a calling card or a bugle call for
women, for all humankind, but
especially for women, to see that
they’ve been there all along and
they’ve done the work all along. It
is time for them to be recognised
for that work and to not stop, to
keep going, to keep fighting, to
believe in themselves and keep
achieving great stuff.”
On working with his
talented trio, Melfi says:
“My favourite thing was
what happened between
takes, because they were
a hoot. They don’t stop.
They laugh 24/7. They love
each other, enjoy each other,
love being actors, and enjoy
letting loose, especially
when they are working with
such heavy material.”
Highlighting the unsung achievements of three African-American
women in the United States space program during the 1960s, Hidden
Figures represents one giant leap for female empowerment and
recognition, according to director Theodore Melfi. Words Adam Colby
• Hidden
Figures
is out now
ALAN TURING
– The Imitation Game
A genius who spearheaded the
British effort to break the Enigma
code. Without him, there wouldn't
be a smartphone in our pocket – not
to mention the fact that the Allies
might not have won the war.
Tragically convicted for being a
homosexual, Turing would receive
a posthumous pardon from Queen
Elizabeth II in 2013.
QUIET
ACHIEVERS
ERIN BROCKOVICH
– Erin Brockovich
A single mother who still found
time to become a legal eagle that
took down the might of a corrupt
power company.
RON WOODROOF
– Dallas Buyers Club
Given thirty days to live, Woodroof
became a pioneer in providing
alternative medications to keep
HIV/AIDS patients alive.
PAUL RUSESABAGINA
– Hotel Rwanda
The fracture lines of European
colonisation became an
apocalyptic chasm that resulted
in the 1994 Rwanda massacre.
When a resurgent Hutu tribe seeks
vengeance, this unassuming hotel
manager is the only one standing
in their way – and 1200 Tutsis
who are in grave danger.