Through Jan. 4, the Museum of the Moving Image (MoMI) will present American Woman: Reframing ’70s Cinema, a 27-film series celebrating the vital contributions of women stars and filmmakers during the transformative decade of the 1970s. The series shines a new light on female talent both in front of and behind the camera, revisiting classic films through a feminist lens and highlighting voices often overshadowed in historical narratives.
“When discussing 1970s American cinema, the usual titles—The Godfather, Chinatown, The French Connection—dominate the conversation,” says MoMI Senior Curator of Film Michael Koresky. “This series flips the script, exploring films shaped by the era’s cultural shifts and second-wave feminism, spotlighting the women who defined it.”
American Woman features legendary actors such as Jane Fonda, Diane Keaton, Pam Grier, Gena Rowlands, Diahann Carroll, Sissy Spacek, Diana Ross, and Barbra Streisand, alongside trailblazing filmmakers including Barbara Kopple, Elaine May, Claudia Weill, Jo Heims, Barbara Loden, and Julia Reichert. Documentaries and fiction alike are included, emphasizing the breadth of women’s creative influence in cinema.
Screenings include 35mm presentations of notable films such as Diary of a Mad Housewife, Looking for Mr. Goodbar, Lady Sings the Blues, Up the Sandbox, Paper Moon, A New Leaf, and New York, New York. Standouts like Foxy Brown (Pam Grier) and Wanda (Barbara Loden) showcase daring, unconventional female characters who challenged cinematic norms.
MoMI’s series also emphasizes the enduring relevance of these films. From Diane Keaton navigating the complexities of modern womanhood in Looking for Mr. Goodbar to Diana Ross’s transformative portrayal of Billie Holiday in Lady Sings the Blues, the series offers audiences the chance to see these films in their full, cinematic glory, with opportunities for engagement through panels, Q&As, and scholar-led conversations.
American Woman: Reframing ’70s Cinema presents a timely reexamination of an era that reshaped Hollywood, illuminating the women whose creativity, daring, and talent continue to inspire filmmakers and audiences today.