In her latest book, “Feminism and the Cinema of Experience,” feminist film scholar Lori Jo Marso challenges traditional notions of the male gaze and offers a fresh perspective on the experience of women seeing women on screen. Marso argues that the act of looking can be both empowering and discomforting, prompting viewers to confront deep-seated anxieties and ambivalences about femininity, relationships, and societal norms.
Rather than focusing on stereotypical feminist narratives, Marso delves into the visual language of cinema, examining how the gaze behind the lens shapes our perception of gender and disrupts conventional ways of looking. By highlighting the work of women and nonbinary filmmakers, she demonstrates how the depiction of experience onscreen can be a politically transgressive act.
Divided into four sections, Marso’s book introduces new terms like “motherwork camerawork” to explore how nonnormative motherhood is portrayed in films. Drawing on examples from classics like Chantal Akerman’s “Jeanne Dielman” to contemporary works like Alice Diop’s “Saint Omer,” Marso showcases how static camera shots and long takes can evoke complex emotions and challenge viewers’ preconceptions.
In her analysis of horror films, Marso examines how directors like Julia Ducournau disrupt traditional notions of femininity and gender through visceral imagery. Films like “Titane” push boundaries and challenge viewers to confront the messy, unpredictable nature of the female body.
By blurring the lines between highbrow and lowbrow cinema, Marso celebrates the transformative power of the camera to create new ways of seeing. Through her exploration of films like Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie” and Emerald Fennell’s “A Promising Young Woman,” she demonstrates how feminist filmmaking can redefine the gaze and offer a fresh perspective on gender and identity.
In her closing remarks, Marso emphasizes the importance of film as a feminist form of expression, a medium through which new aesthetic languages can be forged. “Feminism and the Cinema of Experience” serves as a testament to the power of cinema to challenge norms, provoke thought, and inspire change in the way we see ourselves and the world around us.
When we think about art, we often focus on the creation of visual masterpieces by artists with paintbrushes and canvases. However, in Feminism and the Cinema of Experience (2025) by Lori Jo Marso, a new perspective is brought to light. Marso argues that by extension, the act of looking itself becomes an art form. This idea challenges the traditional notion of art and opens up new possibilities for self-expression and liberation.
By exploring the concept of the gaze, Marso delves into the ways in which looking can be a powerful tool for empowerment. In a society that often dictates how we should look and be looked at, the idea of taking control of our gaze is revolutionary. It allows individuals to define their own terms of engagement with the world around them, rather than being passive recipients of external scrutiny.
Through the lens of feminism, Marso explores how the art of looking can be a form of resistance against patriarchal norms and expectations. By challenging traditional power dynamics and reclaiming agency over their own bodies and identities, individuals can assert their autonomy and demand to be seen and understood on their own terms.
Ultimately, Marso’s work invites us to reconsider the way we interact with the world around us. By recognizing the act of looking as an art form in itself, we can begin to appreciate the beauty and complexity of everyday experiences. Through this new perspective, we can find liberation and empowerment in the simple act of seeing and being seen.
If you’re interested in delving deeper into these ideas, you can find Feminism and the Cinema of Experience by Lori Jo Marso available online and through independent booksellers. Published by Duke University Press, this book offers a thought-provoking exploration of the art of looking and its implications for our understanding of self and society.
