Smash the patriarchy with a night of feminist film from the New East

A series of short films exploring the role of women across the New East are being shown on the big screen as part of an event in central London.

The Barbican Centre will host films from Macedonia, Russia and Kyrgyzstan as part of a night exploring how women’s lives are affected by ideology.

“In the 20th century, Communism claimed that it had ‘solved the feminist problem’. In theory, all people were equal, and women, as men, were seen as tools of labour to serve the Party,” say event organisers. “But in the Soviet society, women remained just as marginalised – only that now they were expected to provide labour along with their patriarchal roles of housewives and mothers. [And,] in the New East states today, prejudices of gender roles are still vital, both in society and the government.”

By confronting problems such as arranged marriages, oppressed desire and restrictive gender norms, the one-night programme celebrates women who refuse to be framed by patriarchal traditions.

Would You Look at Her will kick off at 18:30 on 31 October, 2018, at the Barbican’s Cinema 2. For more information, click here.