STACK #152 Jun 2017

DVD&BD FEATURE

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QUIET ACHIEVERS

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.

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

H idden Figures tells the incredible true story of three

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

get John Glenn into space is awesome, and how we don’t know that is bizarre.” Melfi believes that

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.

African-American women – Dorothy Vaughan (Octavia

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

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

RON WOODROOF – Dallas Buyers Club Given thirty days to live, Woodroof became a pioneer in providing alternative medications to keep HIV/AIDS patients alive.

a poor example for future generations. ”We are not showing our children, actors, women, men, that that’s possible. We’re showing them

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.”

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.

• Hidden Figures is out now

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

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JUNE 2017

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