Steve McQueen: “What normal and healthy is a movie to be feminist”

‘Widow’ is the new work of a director who refuses to be classified. After lashing out at the racism in ’12 years of slavery’, runs the turn, and now it is the ‘thriller’ heteropatriarcal which is put into question

it’s Probably the only artist in the world that can boast of two awards so alien to each other as equally quoted: the Turner and Oscar. In 1999 he won the first for Deadpan, a reinterpretation of one of the most famous gags of Buster Keaton, and in 2013, the other by 12 years of slavery. It was his third work for a movie theater after completing with Hunger and Shame, one of the most brilliant and painful journeys to the bottom of things with the background. Now Widowed, which opens Friday. And, in its way, is back doing what he does best: escape the labels, the idioms and the prizes are easy. It is a thriller. As is. But as vocationally different as a feminist. And in the middle, Viola Davis and many others like her faced with the possibility of taking revenge of all the insults received by wife, and black. That said, Steve McQueen (London, 1969) has returned.

In several statements he has referred to the first motivation to do this film was the ugly habit of judging by appearances…Yes, the original series of the 80’s in which is based the movie was about some women who were doing things that, by their appearance, nobody would say that they could do. And by their appearance were judged…How has he changed in his judgment that questionable habit? I’m afraid that not much. Furthermore, I think it has gotten worse. Maybe we live better and all that, but we installed on the same prejudices.Perhaps with the social networks, for example, the confusion with what that one appears to have increased even…Little to add to that appreciation. It is as well. What in my opinion has grown worse is the abuse of power. The story of the movie runs in Chicago, but it could happen perfectly in Madrid, Paris, or any place in the world. And also, before in front of a punishable act the author was ashamed of it. This is not the case anymore. We live in a world that is shameless. What is important is how you handle a situation reprehensible, but being embarrassed by your bad acts has ceased to be a punishment.But, why go to a series as old to talk about matters that are so current?From a child, from the first time I saw the series on television, I identified perfectly with the protagonists. They were judged by their appearance exactly like that of a young black man in the England of the 80’s. How do you feel with the label of thriller feminist that has fallen to your movie?I prefer to think that it’s a good movie. But yes, it is healthy that the films are feminist. All. That, in any way, should be normal.Be that as it may, returns to be a movie committed to its time as it was 12 years of slavery, for example, and committed to the need to change the reality… Well, I’ll settle with doing something that doesn’t make things worse, to stop our road to hell [laughs]. Art, in any case, it is our consciousness. And maybe through art we can galvanize a change in the society. Can art change things?I think, for example, in 12 years of slavery. That film has made it possible for many others for the simple reason that you made a lot of money. Moonlight is able to do it because there was my movie. And I dare say that even Black panther is a consequence. This is because the color of America is the green, the money. And I’m proud of ello.Su film comes after the movement #MeToo to insist on the same argument. How do you think that has changed the landscape of this movement?Well, I can only be grateful. For my wife, my daughter… What has happened is only good… there is nothing to object to. It is a way of awakening the conscience to the society of the different forms of aggression or microagresión who daily suffers the half of the population. What is really painful is to realize that since more than 35 years ago nothing had changed. We were at the same point. There was a need for open discussion and public, as has been maintained all this time without feeling an iota of shame. Women can now say in public what they could not before.Speaking of all that is good and positive, and I comes to mind the case of Woody Allen who can’t get back to film making…The topic of the conversation is much bigger than one simple person. The issue is not Allen, is the abuse, the discrimination… we are talking about something much more important and bigger than of the fact that a particular person is no longer able to make movies. Well, nothing is perfect…I agree, but every person is important…Not… In such a situation, errors can occur, but we’re talking about that there are people suffering all kinds of discrimination for the simple fact of being a woman… I feel sorry for Woody Allen. It is unfortunate what has happened, yes, but… In any case, I want to be clear that I sympathize with Woody Allen… But I’m more sympathetic with the overall population.

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