POSITIONING THE MARGINALISED |
“I love to play with clichés. However you have to take them on, |
break them, spin them around, take pleasure in them.” |
Maria Novaro, a director from Mexico belongs to the |
group of Mexican filmmakers who emerged in the 1980s, |
and carried the influence of |
Colectivo Cine-Mujer |
(Women |
Film Collective). The strong directorial voice, the narrative |
style, and the themes she handles are a legacy of this |
experience. Born in Mexico in 1951, Maria studied |
Sociology and film production before she began her |
film career with Mexican filmmaker, Alberto Cortas. |
The rise of women filmmakers like Maria Novaro was |
possible because film unions which dictated terms and |
had sexist regulations were disbanded in the late 70s. |
These changing dynamics facilitated the rise of the |
current generation of Mexican film directors, of which |
one third is female. Her Short Film |
Una Isla Rodeada de |
Agua |
(1985), gave an indication of her thematic concerns |
