Thelma and Louise: A Tale of Empowerment?
On Wednesday evening, May 22, the public screening of the iconic film Thelma and Louise (directed by Ridley Scott in 1991) served as a prompt for an open discussion at Ypsilon Café. The event was organized by the English Department of ACT as part of the continuous efforts by ACT’s BA in English to bring academic discussions out of the classroom into the public sphere.
More than 80 people enjoyed the film and engaged in a lively discussion. The discussion was led by ACT professors Yvonne Kosma (PhD Sociology of Culture) and Emily Bakola (PhD Comparative Literature and Cultural Studies) who triggered an interesting debate and offered fascinating and valuable insights around the film and behind the scenes.
Ridley Scott’s film exploded on the screen in the early 1990s, challenging the ways genre and gender politics alike defined Hollywood’s narrative style. The film gained prominence in academic circles, as it forced audiences, critics, and scholars to
confront their own definition and understanding of masculinity, femininity, morality, friendship, justice, crime and punishment.
Almost thirty years later, this film still raises questions without offering clear answers: is it really a story of female empowerment? What are the most significant ways that it allows for a feminist reading? In what ways can the film be seen, at the
same time, as a case of female disempowerment?
As the event’s discussion testified, some see this film as an attempt to empower women and redefine gender politics in the postmodern era. Others disagree. Clearly the debate goes on... In the words of Katerina Dimitriadou, ACT English major present at the event, “For students of ACT, challenging our minds and worldviews is a common and familiar stage as this happens during our class time; for some members of the audience, it was a taste of embracing ideas and diversity. The only odd thing for an ACT student, was addressing our professors in Greek, but innovative initiatives such as this event and using ordinary activities to dive into crucial matters while exchanging views through productive conversations, was just another day at the ACT family!”
