Refocus: the Films of Susan Seidelman

This first collection devoted to Susan Seidelman - director, producer and visionary of feminist American cinema and television includes never-before-published archival material and an interview with insights into her process and thoughts on #timesup and the future of the industry.
Her debut feature, Smithereens, was the first American independent film to compete for the Palme d'Or at Cannes. Her knack for casting saw her insist on Madonna for Desperately Seeking Susan before Madonna was famous. Seidelman directed Meryl Streep and John Malkovich in their first comedy features, Roseanne Barr in her first feature film and Laverne Cox in one of her earliest features. Seidelman also directed the Sex and the City pilot, kickstarting a global phenomenon. Seidelman's career is one of firsts, yet little is written about her. This collection begins filling that gap while opening the door for additional scholarship, making this a valuable text for years to come.

"This ground breaking collection on the work of under recognized film and television director Susan Seidelman illustrates both difficulties and the potentialities of centralizing women's desires, voices, and perspectives. By looking broadly at Seidelman's oeuvre, this book deftly categorizes and contextualizes the contributions she has made to the feminist media archive." -Suzanne Leonard, Simmons University

Susan Santha Kerns is Associate Professor of Cinema and Television Arts at Columbia College Chicago.

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