SXSWORLD

3 4 SXS W O R L D | M A R C H 8 , 2 0 1 8 | SXSW.COM The past several months have marked a sea change in the film industry, with the public unveiling of decades of gender discrimi- nation and abuse in Hollywood. This is a powerful time for women, and the 2018 SXSW Film Festival lineup is especially fitting for the year of Time's Up and #MeToo with a number of female directors screening their works. Kay Cannon's Blockers is a raucous comedy starring Leslie Mann, Ike Barinholtz and John Cena as hyper-concerned parents deter- mined to protect their daughters' virginity on prom night. The movie is the directorial debut for Cannon, the writer behind the Pitch Perfect franchise, 30 Rock and Girlboss. "It's a genuine honor to be at SXSW," she says. "Any year would be a thrill, but this year in particular has a special feel to it. We ladies are being heard more than ever and there's a growing appreciation for our work. It's exciting to be a small part of this bigger, beautiful movement." Cannon has been proving herself as a comedy writer and pro- ducer for a decade, but what was it about Blockers that made it the one she wanted to tackle as director? "Blockers is a story that deals with, among other issues, young women and their sexuality and female empowerment," she explains. "I couldn't wait to take on that subject from my per- sonal point of view. The fact that it's an R-rated studio comedy made me want to do it even more given that so few women, in the history of film, have been offered the opportunity. I mean, five years ago, this comedy about teenage girls making a pact to lose their virginity probably would have been directed by a mid- dle-aged white dude. That I got to do it means the world to me." Suzi Yoonessi, known as director of such films as Dear Lemon Lima and The Real Reason Women Don't Direct More Action SXSWomen: Female Filmmakers Seize Timely Opportunities By Meredith Borders Jackie Van Beek. Photo by Matt Klitscher Kay Cannon "We ladies are being heard more than ever and there's a growing appreciation for our work. It's exciting to be a small part of this bigger, beautiful movement." Blockers. Courtesy of Universal Pictures The Breaker Uppers. Photo by Matt Klitscher

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