A&E
Preview: Beth B to present Exposed! in-person this Sunday
By Bridget Lavin ’18
October 1, 2015
Beth B, one of the most prominent “No Wave” filmmakers of the 1970s and ’80s, arrives on the Hill this Sunday for a screening of her new film, Exposed! as part of the fall Forum on Image and Language in Motion (F.I.L.M.) F.I.L.M. series.
In the film, she combines her underground punk roots with the knowledge she has gained from over 10 years of more mainstream documentary filmmaking to create one comprehensive, dynamic piece. It challenges social conventions and sends a strong message, while simultaneously following eight female and male artists in a documentary format. Exposed! was created to shock audiences and break cinematic conventions.
In the filmmaker’s own words, “Exposed! is a portrait of performance artists who use burlesque as a vehicle to discuss broader issues, whether social, gender or political. They also broach issues around disabilities and they do it in an extremely vulnerable and brave way, which I think makes it so riveting. In a way they take their flaws and recontextualize and embrace them in a way that is empowering for all of us. Another very important aspect is the concept of acceptance and understanding where our judgments come from and trying to rearrange our perceptions of normality.”
Beth hopes that Hamilton students who attend the screening feel a sense of liberation of the mind and body. She says, “There should, ideally, be a feeling of acceptance of themselves and their own minds and bodies as well as those around them. Overall, the film should lead to less judgment and more acceptance.”
Exposed! will be screened at Hamilton’s F.I.L.M. series this Sunday at 2pm in Bradford Auditorium. Check out next week’s issue of The Spectator for a full interview with Beth B!