Amy is an artist hanging on by a thread. Struggling to cope with past sexual trauma and the daily aggressions of a male-dominated society, she creates grotesquely-costumed alter egos that re-appropriate the male form. While giving her the sense of control she craves, acting as these characters pushes her further into a world of her own making. When she begins a new relationship with a seemingly good guy, she opens herself up to him - but that vulnerability comes at a dangerous cost, and her alter egos threaten to lash out in explosive violence.
Based on the real experiences and art of co-writer and star Amy Everson, Felt doesn’t just point a finger at rape culture, it takes a full on swing at it, creating a psychological drama that audiences will be hard-pressed to shake off.
Official Selection AFI Fest, Best Actress-Next Wave Award Fantastic Fest
Felt starts Friday, July 10
Drama – NR (suggested rating R) – 80 min – Tickets $9
Fri, July 10: 9:00 p.m.
Sat, July 11: 9:00
Sun, July 12: 7:00
Mon, July 13: 9:00
Tues, July 14: 7:00
Wed, July 15: 7:00
Thurs, July 16: 9:00
Artist’s statement
More than anything, I hope that Felt encourages conversation. I hope that the film helps in creating an awareness of what it means to live in a rape culture. We can’t take for granted that people even know what “rape culture” means. Those two words alone do not dignify the complex implications of what we are talking about. To understand rape culture, we have to acknowledge the fact that we live in a society where women are devalued and objectified.
Starting from birth and reinforced throughout our lives, [women] are groomed to believe that our worth is contingent on our sexual desirability and that we are to tolerate ever-increasing boundary violations. We’re continuously objectified, coerced into unwanted sexualization, and blamed for the violations perpetrated against us. We must accept that it is these societal attitudes that culminate in a climate that trivializes, normalizes, excuses, and ultimately perpetuates sexual violence.
Rape is frequently and insensitively exploited as an acceptable plot device, and rarely is it employed to examine the truthful and traumatic consequences of it, and never is rape used in the interest of critiquing misogyny. I have to admit that I cringe when people call Felt a “rape revenge” movie or a “psychosexual thriller.” Using phrases and words like these perpetuates and honors a language that goes out to the rest of the world. Sexual violence is not thrilling, and using that language to entice people is insensitive and incredibly unsophisticated. Art and culture inform each other, feeding back and forth into each other. — Amy Everson
Share this:
Categories: Features
2 replies »