Film Matters: Please tell us about your article that is being published in Film Matters.
Gabrielle Despaigne: My article is about how French New Wave science fiction films have a unique portrayal of women within their stories, all of which contain characteristics that should make up their own subgenre of science fiction archetypes. My main goal is to describe what the archetype consists of and to argue that we should examine science fiction French New Wave films more closely. I feel that there is not enough scholarly research put into the specific subgenre, which is unfortunate.
FM: What research and/or methodologies do you incorporate in your article?
GD: “Space Sirens: The Portrayal of Women in French New Wave Sci-Fi”is an article where the majority of my analysis comes from the selected films themselves because my goal is to create a new archetype. As such, I did not rely as heavily on research as my other works; however, my sources still play a major part in my process.
My main source in the article comes from Geneviève Sellier’s Masculine Singular: French New Wave Cinema, which is a seminal work that explores the social and cultural aspects of the French New Wave, along with the motivations behind the French New Wave’s auteurs. I specifically examine the eighth chapter of her work, which outlines the portrayal of women in French New Wave films in general. The downside to the Sellier work is that it looks at the French New Wave as a whole as opposed to purely science fiction. This is why I used other works to help my thesis.
I examined works by Rob Latham, Lee Hilliker, and Vivian Sobchack to give me a more specific visual on science fiction New Wave films. Sobchack’s “The Virginity of Astronauts” was more centered on Hollywood cinema; however, it was still a helpful source for differentiating French New Wave versus Hollywood depictions of women. Latham’s “Sextrapolation in New Wave Science Fiction” was closer to my topic.
For my selected films, I received copies of The Creatures and The Heat of a Thousand Suns from my professor because the films are so rare. I watched all of my selected films several times, cutting screen grabs from each and compared what I found. The entire process was done over the course of a semester and then extended out into the next. This article is now on its sixth draft.
FM: Describe the original context for/when writing this article while an undergraduate student.
GD: “Space Sirens” is a paper I wrote for my critical studies senior thesis course while I was a senior at the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW). I was required to write and explore film within the French New Wave, a topic about which I was very excited. I’ve always had a love for Chris Marker and The Jetty (La Jetée, Marker, 1962) is one of my favorite films of the 1960s; so, of course, I had to include it in my research. I am also a huge science fiction nut. Naturally, I was drawn toward science fiction and the women within it.
FM: How has your department and/or institution supported your work in film and media?
GD: My department at UNCW has always been tremendously helpful toward my work in film. I’ve grown a ton through my years in undergraduate school and I recommend to every student that you reach out and build a relationship with your professors. It will make a huge difference in the experience.
I was able to participate in an internship in Los Angeles while I was in school. I got to meet industry professionals and learned tricks of the trade while I was there. I’ve also been able to network through social events that the department puts on and at film festivals (such as Cucalorus) that students are urged to attend. I’ve had a couple of my short films screened at festivals, which is a great bonus.
When it comes to the scholarly side of my department, I have received a lot of hands-on attention when it comes to my writing. My mentors have personally discussed ideas with me, given me constructive criticism, and helped me develop a better eye when it comes to analyzing film. I’ve always been encouraged to try things out of my comfort zone, which led to fruitful experiences.
FM: How have your faculty mentors fostered your advancement as a film scholar?
GD: I had a healthy dose of encouragement from my faculty mentors while I was completing my undergraduate degree and it has shaped me into a much more analytical scholar today. My mentors were always polite and constantly engaged me in discussion on various films. I often debated my mentors, usually with differing opinions, and it has strengthened my writing to be more argumentative as a result. Being able to discuss my ideas and observations with them has led me to be more confident in my scholarly work overall.
FM: How has the Film Matters editorial and publication process impacted the development/evolution of your article?
GD: Film Matters has helped me edit my article so that it is more concise and easier to understand. My earlier draft excluded an explanation of what the femme fatale is in Hollywood cinema, provided less detail on why we should refer to a new archetype as “space siren,” and offered a more vague explanation on French New Wave ideals. With this new draft, I was able to home in more on what makes a siren and various details on my observations of selected parts of the films. Film Matters has also prepped me for future publications, as I now know what it’s like to prepare a piece for publication.
FM: What audience do you hope to reach with your Film Matters article and/or what impact do you hope it has on the field of film studies?
GD: I hope that this article contributes to the study of science fiction during the French New Wave. When I was a student, I realized that not a lot of research has been done toward understanding the genre during this time period, which is unfortunate. There were lots of studies done on Godard’s Breathless and Contempt, but not as much on Alphaville. (I had actually never heard of Alphaville until I started my research) Why is that? Why should science fiction get less attention? These films typically have a psychological background to them and explore abstract ideals. Why are they not popular?
I hope to bring more light and interest toward my selected films in this article. The Heat of a Thousand Suns is an incredible film, but very hard to get a copy of. In my opinion, the piece needs a lot more appreciation. I also hope that The Creatures will be looked at by more scholars as it’s also a unique film. I’ve never seen anything like it, and I’ll admit, it sort of scared me. Overall, I hope this article piques interest in others so that we can expand the scholarly work done on the subgenre.
FM: What are your future plans?
GD: Right now, I am working on finishing a feature-length screenplay and applying to graduate school. I hope to one day be a film professor and teach film classes on science fiction, African American cinema, and experimental film. I want to inspire students to explore film studies the same way my mentors in school inspired me. I think of myself as a bit of a nerd, but being in film studies has enhanced my life. I also strive to write more articles on films that pique my interest, and hopefully publish a few scholarly books one day.
Author Biography
Gabrielle Despaigne is a recent film graduate from the University of North Carolina of Wilmington. She considers herself an avid science fiction fan and wants to ultimately produce her short films along with writing scholarly work that provides a feministic view on how certain films function. She is also a cat lover.
